


Alpha Falling

by Syls Darkplace (sylsdarkplace)



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/M, Knotting, M/M, Mpreg, Rape Aftermath, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-27
Updated: 2014-08-27
Packaged: 2018-02-15 01:49:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 39,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2211183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylsdarkplace/pseuds/Syls%20Darkplace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is an Alpha/Beta/Omega AU in which Alphas Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles have fought for control of the construction industry in Dallas with dirty deals and underhanded actions throughout their twenties. Theirs is a world where aggression and dominance are valued above all else, and in fear of losing his position as head of his company, one of them will bring down his foe with one ruthless act that tears both their lives apart and forever binds them together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s note: I’d like to thank my alphas (woof woof) meus_venator and anniespinkhouse and my beta novakev. Special love to the fabulous artist bumerbmw.

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/0000zh8h/)

  


Jared was furious. He could feel the heat in his face. His jaw clenched and hands fisted at his side. He wanted nothing more than to break something, hit someone. He put his fists on his wide oak desk and leaned forward. He took a deep breath before looking up at Alona.

“I’m sorry, sir,” she said in response to his glare. “This is all on me.”

“No,” he sighed. “It isn’t. It’s mother fucking Jensen Ackles. I should have known better. I should have taken this one on myself. He never plays fair.”

Jensen Ackles, CEO of Ackles Enterprises – family owned since God was a pup – only child, smart, tough, as ruthless as Jared, and a thorn in Jared’s side since he’d taken over PADA Inc., which had been publicly traded for 30 years. Jared could only wish that like Jensen, he didn’t have a board of directors to answer to. They would be disappointed to put it mildly that PADA had just lost the biggest construction contract – the 78 story Pelham building – of the past 20 years to AE.

“That will be all Alona. Have Chad come in as you leave.” Jared stood to his full height and unclenched his fists. He flexed his hands and ran his fingers back through his hair. Looking out the wall of glass, over the high rises and streets of Dallas, he knew something had to give. His position at PADA wasn’t guaranteed and his personal pride, which even he had to admit was immense, could not allow this continued abuse.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” Chad asked.

Jared turned to his assistant. Chad was a good looking kid and a fine assistant. Perfect really. He’d become an omega in high school as many did when they realized that the fierce competition of being an alpha wasn’t for them. There was a time when forced omega conversion was common. It was perfectly acceptable then, and still not unheard of, for alphas, particularly young ones, to be taken by a more powerful alpha – even gangs of them. Back then, an alpha could consolidate power easily with a handful of other alphas and literally have a harem of betas and omegas. Things had changed a lot in the past couple of hundred years. Today, most alphas had just one beta or omega. There were far more alphas than there had been then, and most of those who converted – as all boys were born alpha and became omega through the act of copulation – did so voluntarily because it fit more with their nature.

Chad had the best attributes of an omega. He was smart, organized, and submissive. He anticipated Jared’s needs, didn’t give unsolicited opinions but when asked always had a thoughtful response, and knew all the gossip in the company. He’d make a fine mate one day when he found the right guy, and until then he was awesome at blowjobs when Jared was stressed.

“I’d like you to arrange a meeting here with Jensen Ackles. Last appointment of the day,” Jared said. He sat down in his soft, leather executive chair.

Chad raised an eyebrow. “It’ll be hard to get Ackles to agree to meet with you.”

“I have faith in you, Chad.” Jared smiled and spread his legs. “You’re an expert with hard tasks.” As he undid his belt and fly, Chad dropped to his knees before him.

~~~

Jensen leaned back into the leather sofa and crossed his ankle over his knee. He kept his fingers loosely around the glass that he rested on the arm of the couch. He knew how to appear more at ease than he was. He felt like he was in the lion’s den. He knew he was meant to. He did it to people in his own office all the time.

Jared sat down in a matching but slightly higher chair on the opposite side of the low glass table and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. He was taller than Jensen and broad shouldered. Perhaps the only man than Jensen found physically imposing. “I’m glad you agreed to meet. I know, it probably wasn’t your first impulse,” Jared said.

Jensen raised an eyebrow. “You think? What can you possibly have to offer, Jared?” He took a drink of the bourbon. It was top shelf – Blanton’s maybe, although the aftertaste made him wonder.

“Let’s be honest here. I’m not happy about losing the contract, but I don’t want to lose out entirely just because of pride.” Jared took a drink of his bourbon. It was half gone already, and Jensen felt compelled to keep up.

“Really?” Jensen was surprised. He thought Jared was just like him. He’d rather go off and lick his wounds than go crawling to his rival for a taste from the pot. But maybe it was more than that. “Board of Directors breathing down your neck?”

A muscle in Jared’s jaw ticked. “This isn’t about the mistake my father made 30 years ago when we went public,” Jared said. His voice was tight, and Jensen knew he’d hit home, but no point in needling the guy if they were talking compromise. “Look, AE doesn’t have all the resources it needs to fulfill this contract, Jensen. We both know it. PADA can supply materials. All we’re asking for is the subcontract on steel and concrete.”

PADA would be the best source for materials. It had the resources and trucking capabilities. For a project of this size, AE would probably have to go with two or even three other suppliers for an alternative. If PADA gave them a good price, it would greatly cut costs. Jensen felt the urge to loosen his tie. It had gotten hot in the office; although, Jared didn’t seem to notice. Jensen stopped his hand in mid-air and simply smoothed his tie.

“Why should I trust you?” Jensen asked. The heat was really oppressive now. He felt like he couldn’t get enough air, and Jared’s voice seemed muffled.

Jared smiled. “No reason you should. I wouldn’t trust you if the tables were turned, but we’ll have the legal teams draw up the contracts, make sure they’re all satisfied that no one is being cheated. It’s a win-win for both companies, Jensen.”

“Yeah,” he said, “I … I agree.” He leaned forward to set his glass on the table and his head swam. Jared was saying something, but it wasn’t making sense. Jared took the glass from his hand and set it on the table. He was standing right in front of Jensen. How had he gotten there? Jensen fought to understand what Jared was saying.

“I’m almost sorry to have to do this, Jensen. You were a worthy rival, but it has to stop.”

~~~  
Jared pushed Jensen’s shoulder, and he fell against the back of the sofa. Long lashes fluttered over jade green eyes, pupils like pinpoints. His cheeks were flushed under golden freckles, and his plump lips were slack. Jared’s cock was hard, pressing against the fabric of his tailored trousers. If he had to do this, and he figured he did, at least Jensen was hot. He pulled the man down onto to his back and undid his fly before rolling him over.

As he pulled Jensen’s trousers off his hips, the rage of losing the contract welled up in him again. He’d take his enemy out in time-honored fashion. He’d make him a bitch, neutralize him once and for all. Jared released his aching cock from his fly and slicked it with lube from a bottle that he’d hidden under the sofa cushion earlier. Pulling Jensen’s buttocks apart, he thrust his thumb into the other man’s asshole, and Jensen made a small surprised sound.

“Jesus, that’s tight,” Jared mumbled. His cock spurted precum. He fucked his thumb in and out a couple of times, but couldn’t wait any longer. He lined up the thick head of his cock with the furled hole and pressed his lips to Jensen’s ear. “You’ve humiliated me for the last time, Ackles.” With that, he pushed into the other man’s rectum in one long, relentless shove. Jensen’s eyes flew open as he cried out. His anal muscles clamped down in an attempt to stop the intrusion, and his fingers scrambled on the leather cushions beneath him.

“Fuck,” Jared said through clenched teeth. “Fuck, so tight.” He gripped Jensen’s hips and began to thrust roughly into his rival. Jensen would feel this in the morning. He’d know he’d been fucked as ruthlessly as he’d fucked Jared on that contract. As he pumped his hips harder, he lost himself to the feeling, to the crushing velvet heat surrounding his cock. “So good, so fucking, Jesus Christ, should’ve done this a long time ago. This is how you belong.”

Jared had thought he’d make it quick and harsh, but it felt so damn good, he found himself holding his orgasm off, drawing out the feeling. Holy fuck, the image alone of his cock being gripped by Jensen’s hole, swallowed by his body – he closed his mind holding picture in his head for later jerk off sessions. His balls began to draw up, and he knew, this was it. His climax washed over him in a wave of triumph and blissful gratification.

So caught up was he in his pleasure and retribution, he didn’t notice when the knot began to swell at the base of his dick. It popped in and out of the grasping hole and then caught. A rational part of his mind tried to stop his hips, but they seemed to moving of their own volition. The knot popped out with a painful tug and then shoved back in ripping another cry from Jensen’s throat. Jared’s hips continued to rut shallowly against the other man’s body, and Jensen began moaning and writhing beneath him. His channel began to undulate around Jared’s cock.

“Holy fuck,” Jared exclaimed as he came harder, pumping his seed deeper into his mate. Fuck, his mate. This wasn’t what he’d intended. All he’d wanted was to turn Jensen into an omega, to neutralize him as a competitor. He hadn’t wanted a lifelong responsibility or connection.

Jared had turned a couple guys in college, but he hadn’t tied them. He had only one mate, his beta, Dana, and now Jensen, his sworn enemy. He’d just tied himself to life with the thorn in his side. He leaned exhausted over Jensen’s limp body. His arms shook with the strain, so he wrapped them around Jensen and pulled him off the sofa onto his lap. They collapsed in a messy pile of limbs on the floor, and Jared leaned them against the cushioned front of the sofa. Jensen’s head fell back against his shoulder, and Jared couldn’t help getting a whiff of the warm, spicy scent coming off him.

“Oh God,” he groaned. It was already happening. Jensen’s body was reacting to Jared’s ejaculate flooding into him. Hormones were causing his body to give off pheromones that Jared couldn’t help inhaling, and he knew that his own body would react to them, that he would begin to feel an irresistible, irreversible connection with the other man.  He pressed his face against the back of Jensen’s neck and growled.

“No, no, no,” he mumbled, but he knew that resistance was useless. No, he thought, he’d overcome bigger obstacles. Biology was not going to tie him to his enemy.

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/00010ckd/)

Jensen was hung over. That was his first thought. His head hurt and his mouth felt like something had crawled in it and died. He felt nauseous and ... he hurt everywhere but especially ... His eyes flew open, and he sat halfway up before falling to the mattress on his back with a groan. Familiar cobalt blue walls rose above him. He was in his own room.

The evening before felt like a dream, but he knew better. He might ache all over, but it centered in one place. The smell of leather came back to him at the memory of his face being pushed into the sofa cushions as Padalecki’s cock split him open. At the time he’d felt just the pain and confusion, but now he felt anger and shame.

He rose unsteadily from the bed and stumbled into the adjoining bathroom where he fell to his knees and vomited into the commode. After bringing up a little bile, his stomach muscles clenched on nothing and tears streamed down his face. The pain wasn’t just from the brutal fucking, it was deeper inside, more vital and basic. He knew that his body was changing. He felt sick with impotent rage and humiliation.

There was nothing wrong with being an omega, if you were an omega, but Jensen wasn’t. He was as alpha as a man could be. He would have said more alpha than Padalecki, but maybe not because it was his foe who had thought of this ruthless measure to take him out and acted on it. He couldn’t call foul on him for it – not exactly – but to mate him ... He was sure that had happened, but if so, what was he doing in his own apartment? He couldn’t imagine what the guy was thinking.

Jensen pulled himself to his feet and turned the water on in the shower. He avoided his reflection in the mirror as he stripped off his underwear, which was all he’d awakened in, and got under the hot spray of water. He let it pound down on his shoulders, which shook with his sobs. He didn’t do this. He was stronger than this.

Jensen forced himself to stand up straight and swallow down the anxiety and fear. He let anger fill the void as he picked up the soap and began to scrub himself down. He hesitated as he moved down his body. He let his hands skim over his hips and washed his genitals. He felt centered by the weight of his balls and cock in his hands. His mind shied away from the memory of Jared claiming his body, filling him, tying him.

He forced himself to smear soap over his ass cheeks and then down into his crack, farther, farther, and his hole felt wrong, swollen and sensitive. He leaned forward, his head thumping against the tile. There wasn’t the pain he’d expected from being fucked the way he had been. Out of curiosity, he pushed a finger inside. He groaned and slapped his other hand against the tile wall. Without thinking, he pushed a second finger in with a gasp. It wasn’t enough. He needed more. He needed ... The memories flooded over him.

It had hurt, just hurt, at first. He was being torn open, violated, transformed. He didn’t want it. He wanted to push Jared away. He wanted to get up and beat the man unconscious, but his drugged limbs wouldn’t respond. His hands slid uselessly over the leather, and his body wriggled weakly in a parody of pleasure. Then, the dick assaulting him began to thicken even more, to form a knot that caught and tore at him. He heard himself cry out even as it stuck and held them together. He could feel the pressure of the seed shooting into him, the slick filling him, and as Jared rutted inside him the pain faded, and he was awash in pleasure. He was shaking with it as his own balls drew up and he came all over Jared’s nice leather sofa.

He was weak and trembling as Jared pulled him back against his chest and onto his lap. Jared nuzzled the back of his neck. His mate. Jesus fucking Christ, Jared Padalecki had mated him. The implications of that struck him to the core. Had Jared simply turned him, Jensen would have become a ward of his uncle as omegas had no independent legal standing. His uncle, who’d been driven from the company years ago, was his closest relative. If his father or beta mother were alive one of them could be his guardian. Instead, his uncle, his father’s brother and enemy would have been. As it was, his mate, his own enemy, now controlled his fate. Jensen couldn’t sign a single legal document without Jared’s co-signature.

Icy sheets of water brought Jensen back to himself. He was sitting on the floor of the shower with his knees drawn up. He turned the water off and rubbed his hands over his face. He didn’t know what the man had been thinking or what he had planned, but Jensen knew he needed to see a doctor before he did anything else.

~~~

Jensen had never felt so apprehensive. None of his experience in life had prepared him for this. He was sitting on the exam table in the doctor’s office in a little paper jacket with another square of paper over his lap.

“Hi, Jensen,” Dr. Collins said looking at the chart as he rushed into the room. He plopped down on a rolling stool.  His eyebrows twitched. “You’re new.”

Jensen wasn’t sure if he meant a new patient or a new omega, but both were accurate. He just nodded.

“Okay, well, let’s get started then.” He rolled the stool to the end of the table. “Slide right to the edge of the table and lie back. Okay, a little more and put your feet in the stirrups.”

Jensen didn’t like the vulnerable position, and he wasn’t sure he liked Dr. Collins. But Collins was the name that went around his circle as the most discreet omega gynecologist. Jensen closed his eyes and stared up at the ceiling tiles.

“This may be a little uncomfortable,” the doctor said. “You have some tearing, not too bad, but it looks like your mate was kind of rough.”

“It wasn’t, umm,” Jensen bit his lip.

“Consensual? It’s more common than you think,” Collins said. “I’m going to swab some fluid here to check for STDs.”

Jensen felt sick. He hadn’t even thought of that. “Am I, I mean, could I be ...”

“Pregnant? No, but you do have a heat starting. That’s evident from the engorgement of your hole. You probably can’t get pregnant with this first heat. Your organs are still changing, but it isn’t inconceivable if you’ll pardon the pun. It’s amazing how quickly things can change. You’ll want birth control?”

“Yes,” Jensen said. His mind was already speeding ahead. He wanted to make it permanent. He wouldn’t have Padalecki’s offspring. That was not going to happen. The man had a beta anyway. Let her do it.

“How long were you tied?” Collins asked as he pushed a gloved finger inside Jensen’s channel.

Jensen wanted to tell him to get his finger out of his ass, but realized he’d have to quit thinking of it as that. It had a dual purpose now after all. He wasn’t an alpha anymore. He wondered how long it would take to quit thinking of himself as one. Fuck, he was 32 – awfully old for the change anyway.

“I, I don’t really know,” he said. He felt heat rising in his face. “He drugged me.”

“Mm, again, you’d be surprised how often that happens.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Jensen asked through clenched teeth.

“No,” the doctor said. He pushed away from the exam table. “You can sit up now. It usually happens to college guys at bars or parties. I don’t imagine that’s what happened to you.”

“No,” Jensen said as he sat up. “I want suppressants.”

A steady blue gaze met his. “Okay, we can do that, but you realize it doesn’t suppress the heat completely. We’ll try to make the heats manageable with suppressants, but you realize that only tying with your mate will really give you relief?”

Jensen sucked his lips between his teeth and nodded.

“Also, about a third of omegas are allergic to suppressants. If they start to make you sick, quit taking them. It won’t get better.”

Jensen nodded again.

“Okay, birth control ...”

“Permanent,” Jensen said.

Collins compressed his lips and gave Jensen a hard look. “I can’t do that without your mate’s consent. Even if I could, I’d advise against it right away. I don’t know the details of what happened to you, but I’ve seen a lot of guys in your position who changed their minds later on.”

“I won’t.”

“Maybe not, but the decision isn’t in our hands.”

Jensen felt rage and a horrified sickness that he couldn’t even make decisions about his own body. He started to protest, and Collins held up his hand.

“What I will do is put in an implant – it’s good for a year – that will prevent eggs from being released. It will also help with the heat cycle. It’s the most I’m willing to do and very affective. He can’t sabotage it, if that’s what you’re afraid of, and we can replace it in a year if that’s what you want.” Collins sat with his hands on hips and a questioning look on his face.

It wasn’t what Jensen wanted. He wanted to be himself. He wanted beat the living shit out of Jared Padalecki. He wanted to make the son of a bitch choke on his cock. But this is what he got – a doctor who refused to let him do what he wanted with his body. All the rage he’d been holding back bloomed in his gut, and he wanted to knock the blue-eyed doctor off his little rolling stool and then pound Jared Padalecki black and blue. Instead, he sat in his little paper cover and glared.

Collins put up both hands and looked at the floor. “You aren’t the first man I’ve met with the morning after,” he said and met Jensen’s gaze. “A lot of them told me they wanted to be sterilized, but after the change was complete, most of them changed their minds.”

“Biology isn’t fate,” Jensen said.

“No, it isn’t, and going through the change at your age, you may never want to conceive. I just don’t want you to make a hasty decision,” Collins said.

Jensen gritted his teeth. “This wasn’t some drunken pick up gone awry. This was a corporate take down. You know who I am. You know who would want to do that. I will never ...” He couldn’t say it; didn’t even want to think it. “No, it won’t happen.”

“If that’s the case, then he shouldn’t object to giving consent for sterilization,” Collins said.

“Or maybe I’ll find a doctor without your scruples,” Jensen said.

“I can’t stop you from doing that, Jensen. You’re a rich man. I’m sure you could find a doctor willing to break the law, but I strongly advise against it,” Collins said with a sigh. “Now, go ahead and get dressed except for your shirt.” He rose from the stool and pushed it into the corner. “I’ll be right back with the nurse, and we’ll put in the implant and get you the prescription for the suppressant, all right?”

“Yeah, all right,” Jensen said. He slid from the table and wadded up the paper covers, which he used to wipe the smear of lube from his ass and thighs. He threw the mess toward the trash can. As he got dressed, he couldn’t help but notice the large wet spot on the paper covering the exam table. It couldn’t all be lube, he realized. Some of that had to be from him. He didn’t know if it was Jared’s cum still leaking out of him or his fluid from his heat, but his throat tightened and his eyes burned.

~~~

Jared stepped out of the private elevator into a vestibule that looked more like a modern hotel than a home. Despite the caramel colored walls and warm teak trim, it felt impersonal. There was nothing here that spoke of the kind of man who lived here, and that said so much. Jared smiled a little. He liked it. He’d seen it when he’d brought Jensen back, stripped him and left him in his bed, but he hadn’t been paying attention to the apartment. He approached the teak door and rang the bell. He was prepared to use the key he’d had made if Jensen wouldn’t let him in, but he was hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

He’d waited a three days thinking that Jensen would contact him, but he hadn’t. It wasn’t that he expected Jensen to come crawling to him with his ass in the air, but Jensen Ackles wasn’t the type to run from a fight. Neither was Jared, but he had just thought it best to let the man cool off and let Jensen make the first move. He figured he’d given him time enough though. Jared didn’t like loose ends. Time to take the bull by the horns.

The door swung open, and Jensen stood glaring at him. Jared was taken aback. Jensen was unshaven, and his hair stood up spiky and uncombed. He was wearing an old Cowboys jersey and faded jeans. Jared started to speak but couldn’t think of what to say, and he wasn’t expecting the fist that made contact with his jaw or to be looking up at Jensen from the floor a second later. Jared rubbed his chin as Jensen turned and padded away in his stocking feet. The door was left gaping open, and Jensen disappeared into the quite interior of the apartment.

Jared pushed himself to his feet and, jaw still aching, went in search of Jensen. He found him in the living room. He was standing at the window looking out over the city. The view wasn’t so different from the one in Jared’s office.

“You have a lot of nerve coming here,” Jensen said without turning around.

“Yeah, I thought you’d contact me,” Jared said. He really didn’t want another fist in the face, so he stopped behind the sofa that separated the walkway from the seating area.

“Why the hell would I want anything to do with you?” Jensen asked.

“Because you’re in heat,” Jared said. It was true. He hadn’t even realized until he said, but there it was – the heavy, ripe scent permeated the room. It explained why Jensen was at home in jeans and not at the office.

Jensen’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything. He went to the bar and poured a drink. “Are you satisfied?” he asked. He turned and leaned against the bar. “This is quite a checkmate. I admit I didn’t see it coming.”

Jared ran a hand through his hair and scoffed. “Admit it, Jensen, you would have done the same if you’d thought of it first.”

Jensen pursed his lips. “What makes you think I haven’t?”

Jared wasn’t sure what he meant at first. “Wait, you ... you had?”

“That’s what I get for hesitating. You mated that pretty beta and I lost the chance. Congratulations,” Jensen said with a bitter smile. “I guess you are more ruthless or impulsive.” While turning a single alpha into an omega had no repercussions, turning a mated alpha was punishable by stiff jail time, even death if he was the head of a large family.

Jared was speechless. His hand dropped to the back of the sofa – leather, like his own.

“Would you like a drink?” Jensen asked. He dropped ice into a glass and poured whiskey over it. He moved toward the seating area, and Jared stepped around the couch. His fingers brushed Jensen’s as he took it, but he couldn’t meet the other man’s eyes. He stared into the glass of amber liquid. “I’m all out of Rohypnol, I promise,” Jensen said. “I wasn’t expecting you, so I don’t even have any rat poison handy.”

Jared knew he deserved those words and worse, but it still felt wrong with the scent of his mate surrounding him. Jensen gestured toward the sofa, and took a seat in a chair facing it. Jared dropped onto the couch and took a sip of his drink.

“Why?” Jensen asked.

“I needed that contract,” Jared said. “I couldn’t let something like that happen again. I needed to show the board that you weren’t a threat anymore.”

“No, I get that,” Jensen said. “I know why you fucked me, but why did you fuck yourself by knotting me?”

Jared shook his head. He’d been asking himself that for three days. “It wasn’t part of the plan,” he said. He looked up into an icy green stare. Jensen’s lips slowly turned up into smile, and then he started laughing. “You think this is funny?”

~~~

“I do kind of, yeah,” Jensen said. He tried to rein in his laughter, but another guffaw burst out. “You really did just mean to screw me over.”

Jared set his glass down on the table with a crack and stood. He paced to the windows and stared out over the city. Jensen’s laughter died, and he was free to look over the tall figure at the window. He’d always preferred men, and he knew that Jared was attractive with that mane of chestnut hair and lean body, but as an alpha and business rival, Jensen had never considered even a physical relationship with him. Now however, he had to figure out how to work something out despite the fact that he wanted to hate the man – did hate him.

“Have you told your wife?” Jensen asked.

“No,” Jared said.

“How will she take it?” Jensen sipped his drink and watched the tense shoulders under the tailored suit jacket.

“Not well, I imagine.” Jared’s shoulders slumped, and he pressed his forehead to the window. There was some kind of inner struggle going on there, Jensen thought. He got up from the sofa and crossed the plush rug to stand behind Jared.

“You know, we can keep up this power struggle,” Jensen said. “This change hasn’t turned me into some submissive little omega, but that hardly seems productive. I’d honestly like almost nothing more than to beat you within an inch of your life right now ...”

Jared turned around, narrowed eyes searching Jensen’s face. “Almost?”

Jensen walked back to the bar and refilled his glass. “You’ve certainly knocked me down a peg, but I’m still the second most powerful man in the city.” He gave Jared a slight smile.

“In Texas,” Jared corrected.

Jensen grinned. “Wouldn’t you like to have me on your side?”

“I want you in my bed, Jensen.”

“No, that won’t happen. I’m not your fuck toy,” Jensen said. His eyes were narrowed and a muscle twitched in his jaw.

“No, you’re my mate.” Jared crossed the room and pushed into Jensen’s space. He seemed to tower over him, and Jensen could sense his arousal like an electric current running between them.

“Back off,” he growled.

“No, I can smell your heat, you know,” Jared murmured. “Those suppressants aren’t working so well for you, are they?” The brush of Jared’s palms up Jensen’s arms made him shiver. Jensen tried to jerk away but the bar was pressed against the small of his back.

“I won’t hesitate to hit you again,” Jensen said.

“Won’t you?” Jared’s hand slid up his arm to cup the back of his neck. It was huge and warm. It was hard to breath. The ache in Jensen’s belly had changed to thick, heavy need. He could feel wet oozing between his ass cheeks. He couldn’t let this happen. He wouldn’t just bend over for Padalecki. He pushed Jared away and slipped from between his body and the bar, but Jared wasn’t going to let him escape so easily. He grabbed Jensen’s arm and yanked him back against his chest.

“You gonna fight your own body forever? Huh, Jensen?” His fingers bit into Jensen’s bicep and the other arm snaked around his waist. Jared’s cock was pressed hard against his hip. “You gonna deny yourself what you need to punish me?”

Jensen tried to speak, but he couldn’t even think. His cock was hard and drooling almost as much as his hole. He dropped his forehead against Jared’s chest. Jared’s hand massaged the back of his neck, and his lips pressed to the crown of Jensen’s head.

“Come on, Jen,” his voice was gravel road rough. “I don’t want to take you on the floor. Take me to your bed.”

 

  



	2. Chapter 2

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/00011gpp/)

  


Jensen wanted Jared to leave. He wanted to tell him to fuck himself. He wanted to shove him out the door. But that wasn’t what he did. Instead, he headed down the hallway with Jared on his heels. He pulled the football jersey off and dropped it on the bedroom floor. Jared’s arms wrapped around him and his hands fumbled with the button of Jensen’s fly.

“No,” Jensen said and twisted out of Jared’s arms. He wasn’t going to let Jared take away the little control he still had. “Take your clothes off.”

Jared’s suit jacket was already lying in the bedroom doorway, and he just nodded and began unbuttoning his shirt. Jensen quickly shoved his jeans and shorts down and kicked them away along with his socks. Jared was still working on his shirt, so Jensen unbuckled his belt and opened his fly.

Jensen couldn’t remember a time when he wasn’t interested in other guys’ cocks, and he was interested to see what he’d gotten out of this forced match. He pushed Jared’s slacks and boxer briefs off his hips, and his dick sprang free. It didn’t disappoint – long and thick, curving up toward his belly slightly to the left. Jensen grasped it enjoying the soft, heated skin over iron hard shaft. A pearl of precum oozed from the slit.

Jared had stomped his way out of his slacks and grabbed Jensen’s arms. His gaze raked over Jensen’s body. Jensen had fucked plenty of omegas in his life, and he knew what was in that assessing gaze. Jared’s nostrils flared, and Jensen realized there was more to this for Jared than there had ever been for him. He’d never fucked an omega in heat. What Jared was experiencing was something far more powerful than simple lust.

Jensen felt something like power course through him. He wasn’t just a victim in this. He isn’t the only one made needy by his heat. He grinned and crawled onto the bed. While he might try to hide it from Jared, he couldn’t deny the need for his mate from himself. His ass was wet with lubrication and so sensitive, so needy.

“Holy fuck,” Jared said. He grabbed Jensen’s hips and bit his left ass cheek.

“Ow, what the fuck?” Jensen said with a scowl over his shoulder, and the gaze that met his was so dark and hungry, he almost pulled away.

“The way you smell and look …” Jared didn’t finish the thought. He was already pressing the head of his cock against Jensen’s hole. Jensen wanted to say ‘hurry’ but bit back the word. He wouldn’t let himself show how desperate he was, but that didn’t stop him from tipping his hips up and pushing his ass back against the blunt intruder. He dropped his head and panted as it filled him.

This was nothing like the first time. There was no pain, just a deep satisfaction and heady pleasure as every nerve ending in his swollen channel lit up, and as full as he was, he wanted more. Jared pulled out about halfway and pushed back in, and the next time, Jensen pushed back to meet him. In no time, he felt the knot forming, and Jared quit trying to pull out. His thrusts became shallow, and the knot was massaging Jensen’s prostate. As his nuts began to draw up, he felt Jared’s hand on his cock, and that’s all it took to tip him over the edge.

As he shot his load onto the sheets, Jared was moaning and cussing in his ear. His weight was too much on Jensen’s back, and they collapsed onto the soggy linens. Jared’s cock pulsed inside him, flooding Jensen’s gut with his seed. Jensen ran his hand over the lump in his arm where the implant had been inserted.

“I still hate you,” Jensen said.

Jared maneuvered them onto their sides where he lay curved around Jensen. “Is that better?”

“Did you hear me?” Jensen asked.

Jared nuzzled his neck, and Jensen wanted to elbow him away but knew it wasn’t possible. “Yes, I heard you. What do you want me to say?”

Jensen thought about it for it for a moment. “Nothing. There’s nothing you could say.”

~~~

Jared found that the maid had left dinner in the oven and place settings at the kitchen counter. He checked his watch. He’d washed quickly at Jensen’s apartment, but he didn’t have time for a shower at home as he’d planned. He shucked off his jacket and hung it over the back of a barstool at the counter.

Checking the oven, he found chicken and vegetables roasting. He pulled a bottle of good California Pinot Grigio from the wine cooler and opened it to air. He rolled up his shirt sleeves and pulled the roasting pan from the oven just as he heard the door to the garage open.

“Honey, I’m home,” Dana called from the mud room. He heard her carry-on bag hit the floor and the clack of her high-heels announced her approach. She’d just returned from a two-week buying trip in Italy. Her boutiques were flourishing, and she spent more time out of the country each year.

“Right on time,” he said with a smile. “I just took dinner out of the oven.”

“Awesome,” she said. She pulled herself up on a barstool, and he heard her shoes hit the floor as she kicked them off.

“How was your trip?” he asked as he cut the chicken and placed portions on the plates along with mounds of the roast vegetables.

“Exhausting but fruitful,” she said. “I found some awesome jewelry pieces from a new designer in Milan.”

“Great,” he set a plate down in front of her and poured some wine for each of them.

“How about you? You get that big contract?”

He felt the scowl pull at his brows and searched for what to say.

“Oh no,” she said. “Really? Who got it? Don’t tell me …”

“Ackles,” he said. Then he smirked. “But it’s the last time.”

“Why’s that?” she asked and stuffed a piece of potato into her mouth.

Jared shrugged. He was enjoying this part. “I fucked him,” he said with a smirk.

Dana’s hand flew to her mouth, and she nearly choked. “For real?”

“Yep, bent him over the sofa in my office and fucked his ass … well, his omega hole now,” he said.

“Way to take down the opposition,” she grinned.

“Yeah.” Jared took a long drink of wine to delay the rest of the story.

“He must be furious,” she said. “The great Jensen Ackles – ass up for cock.” She laughed.

A picture flashed through Jared’s mind of Jensen on all fours that afternoon – the muscular globes of his ass, his sloppy wet hole. His cock twitched at the memory. It came as a complete surprise when Dana rounded the counter and threw her arms around him.

“You’re so …” She stopped mid-sentence and pushed him away. Her eyes were wide and her mouth dropped open. “You smell like …” The slap across his face took him as much by surprise as Jensen’s fist had.

“Dana,” he said.

“Don’t even talk to me,” she said as she walked away.

He followed her into the living room where she poured herself a drink.

“Dana, I …” He just managed to duck out of the way as her highball flew through the air and shattered against the wall behind him.

“We talked about this,” she shouted. He clamped his mouth shut. The best thing to do when she lost her temper was to let her wear herself out. “We agreed. The occasional fuck on the side can be good business, but not relationships, no affairs. My God …” She pressed her fingertips to her temples. “I can’t believe … what the hell were you thinking? You mated a man you hate. You’ll never be able to trust him. If you think he hated you before …” She was gesticulating wildly with her hands now. “He has nothing to lose now, Jay, and Holy Mary, you have a responsibility to him. Where is he?”

Jared didn’t answer for a moment because he really expected her to continue the tirade. “He, umm, he’s at his apartment.”

“Is that where you … have you talked about all this or you did you just go over there to knot him again?”

Jared flinched at the words. “No, no, I went over there to talk to him because we hadn’t since it happened.”

“When did it happen?”

“Tuesday.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Tuesday? You mated him and then ignored him for three days?” She scrunched up her face for a moment. “Look, you didn’t intend for this to happen, but it did. You can’t pretend it didn’t. You can’t treat him like a business rival you just crushed; although, you’d like to. He’s your mate. You have a responsibility to him.”

“I know that, Dana,” Jared said. “But this isn’t the Middle Ages. I can’t just go over there and throw him over my shoulder and carry him off.”

“It happens,” she said with smirk. Good, she was calming down. Maybe she could even help him figure out what to do next.

“He’s not some teenage kid,” Jared said. “I was trying to give him some space to come to terms with this.”

Dana gave him an indulgent smile. She walked over and put her hands on his chest and looked up at him. “He doesn’t need space. He needs you to tie him over and over. He needs to bond with you, to accept your dominance. That’s why he’s in heat. It’s biology, honey.”

~~~

Jensen had taken a long hot shower after Jared left. Then, he’d changed the bedding. He didn’t want Jared’s scent on him or his bed. Jared scratched an itch, but that was all. It was physical. He hated the man and didn’t need to be reminded of how he’d been transformed. His stomach growled, and for the first time in three days, he felt like eating. He ordered a pizza and flipped through channels wondering how long he could get away with calling in sick before an alarm was raised.

At the ring of the doorbell, Jensen headed down the hall and threw the door open, but it wasn’t the Domino’s guy. Instead, his best friend, Chris, stood grinning in the vestibule.

“Hey, man, ran into the pizza guy downstairs,” he said as he pushed past Jensen and headed for the kitchen. “Hope you have enough beer.”

Jensen shut the door and followed his friend who was standing at the counter with the pizza still in his hand. Jensen reached into the refrigerator and got out a couple Tecates. He popped the lids off with the opener and slid one across the counter. Chris still hadn’t set the pizza down, and he had a strange look on his face.

“Um, I’m really sorry, Jen,” he said. “Am I interrupting something? I mean if he’s still here, I can leave.”

“What? No, no one’s here, why?”

Chris set the pizza down and his brow furrowed. “Then I … Have you taken a mate?”

Jensen felt his face flush as it dawned on him that Chris smelled him. “No, I mean, yes, but that’s …” He ran a hand over his face. “No, Chris, that’s me.”

“What?” Blue eyes went wide. “Who? Holy shit, why?”

“Jared Padalecki drugged me …”

“That son of bitch,” Chris exploded in a chain of curses and threats that was punctuated by a fist to the wall that would require some repair, and the whole tantrum left Jensen with a smile.

“You done?” he asked when his friend plopped onto a barstool and drained half his beer.

“What’s wrong with you?” Christian demanded.

“Me?”

“What the fuck are you smiling about? You should be furious.”

“I’m smiling at you. It’s a nice break after furious and horny for three days.”

“Jesus.” Chris put his face in his hands. “God, I’m sorry, Jen, I don’t know what to say.”

“Yeah, well ...” Jensen opened the pizza box and broke off a slice. His stomach growled, and he stuffed a bite in his mouth.

“You’re eating?” Chris said when he looked up.

“Yeah, you gonna let me eat alone?” Jensen said. Chris dropped his face back in his hands. “I’ve had three days to get used to the idea Chris. I didn’t eat the first two. I’m hungry now.”

Chris leaned back. “Why are you here alone?”

Jensen looked at this friend like he was an idiot. “I live here alone. Remember?”

Chris took a pull off his beer and shook his head. “I can’t even ...”

“Is it bothering you? The ... I mean, me?”

Chris looked perplexed and then his eyebrows flew up. “No, you’re on suppressants, right? It’s not that strong. I mean, I’ll probably go home and pound Tommy through the mattress, but it isn’t bothering me really – not like it would your mate. You don’t know, Jen, how it is.”

Chris had changed his omega Tom back in college, and they had one of the best relationships that Jensen had ever seen as well as three great kids.

“No, and I never will,” Jensen said. He let out a rueful laugh. “How quickly the mighty have fallen, huh?”

Chris leaned his elbows on the counter. “You probably feel, I don’t know, powerless? But it isn’t that simple, Jen. You’ve seen the way Tom drags me around by my dick. There’s this idea that the alpha has all the power, that he’s the dominant partner, but believe me, omegas have power.”

“What, by withholding sex?” Jensen banged his beer bottle down on the counter.

“It isn’t just about sex,” Chris said. “Mating was a joint decision with Tom and I, we were already having sex, but I was unprepared for how it would change things.”

“I hate him, Chris. That hasn’t changed. He’s a bastard,” Jensen said.

“Of course you hate him.” Chris slapped his palm on the counter in exasperation. “But you have to know that neither of you can just walk away from this, right?”

Jensen nodded. “So what do I do?”

“What do you want?”

“I want my life back,” Jensen scoffed.

“You’re still owner and CEO of Ackles Enterprises,” Chris said.

Jensen tossed his beer bottle into the recycling bin with a little more force than necessary and got two more beers out of the refrigerator. “You know damn well that the reason he did this to me was to take the company down.”

“So convince him not to,” Chris said.

Jensen felt a bitter laugh bubbling up. “Seriously? How?”

“Go off the suppressants. Get him in your bed and don’t let him out until you have a deal.”

“A deal? Seriously?”

“Jensen, the guy’s a dick, but he’s your dick.” Chris grinned and shoved a chunk of pizza in his mouth.

~~~

Jared felt alone before he knew he was alone. The solid warmth of Jensen’s body had become disturbingly familiar over the past two days, and now there was something lacking. He opened his eyes and stretched. The afternoon sun was slanting through the blinds, and he could hear the shower running. The open bathroom door looked like an invitation, and he considered joining his mate there, but the idea of the hot water running out while they were tied there was not appealing.

He stretched and fumbled for his trousers on the floor. He pulled his phone out of the pocket and thumbed it on. Sixteen messages; eleven from Dana. He sighed and flopped back on the bed. It was her idea. He came here because of her advice.

It had been two days since the argument with Dana, and he’d been preparing to come back to Jensen’s when he’d received the text from him: _We need to talk_. Perfect opening, he thought. But he’d been completely unprepared when Jensen opened the door. Jensen’s body was dumping pheromones like a queen bee, and Jared couldn’t remember the specifics of how it happened but they’d ended up tied on the floor of the front hall.

They’d both spent most of the time since naked. Jared had put Jensen’s bathrobe on a couple of times during forays to the kitchen, and Jensen had put on a pair of lounge pants at one point but Jared had ruined them yanking them back off him twenty minutes later.

The bed around him was a mess. The sheets were pulled loose from the mattress, and the pillows were mounded up in one corner. There were stiff spots and a still damp place under him. The whole room smelled of sex. It wasn’t all together bad, he thought. There was something oddly satisfying about it that he didn’t want to think about.

They hadn’t spent all their time having sex. They’d talked. That was most surprising to him. As they’d lain there knotted or simply entwined in each other’s limbs or barely touching, they’d talked about the ways they’d sabotaged each other, the dirty deals, the vicious undercutting, and slander.

“You always thought you deserved what I had,” Jensen said as he’d sipped coffee the first morning. He was lying on his stomach, propped on his elbows with the cup cradled between his palms. The sheet was pulled just over the swell of his ass; so his pale freckled back was exposed. Jared had come to love that plain of soft skin.

“Why didn’t I?”

Jensen smiled and shook his head. “Because you were a kid.”

“I’m only three years younger than you,” he protested. “Anyway, you had everything handed to you.”

“I was working at the company when I was 16,” Jensen countered. “You didn’t start with PADA until you got out of college.”

“I worked there summers.” Jared chuckled. “My God, we’ve just been keeping score of every little thing since high school.”

“Little?” Jensen arched an eyebrow. “You flooded the Mercy Hospital jobsite.” Jared opened his mouth, but Jensen cut in. “Don’t. Do not deny that.”

“You were responsible for the truss collapse on the Stanton Building construction,” Jared said. He took a drink of his own sweet, milky coffee.

Jensen shrugged. “It was the middle of the night. No one was hurt.”

“There could have been homeless people or ...”

Jensen held up his hand. “Let’s just agree that we’ve both done despicable things.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Jensen looked into his cup. “You realize that what you’ve done to me is in a whole other category of despicable, don’t you?”

Jared felt a strange twist in his gut. “That was the idea, yeah.”

“Yeah, but you got caught up in it, so now what?” Jensen looked over at him, and Jared felt like a bug held on a pin by that gaze.

“What do you mean?”

“What am I supposed to do with my life now?”

Jared felt something almost like remorse, but he didn’t regret it. He didn’t. “I don’t know,” he said.

“No, of course you don’t. Do you know why? Because you didn’t think of all the possible outcomes of your scheme. That’s why I always came out on top, Jared. Because I think things through, and you don’t.”

Jared couldn’t think of a thing to say in response. It was true. He thought he’d fuck Jensen, ruin him, and walk away. What a miserable mistake. Taking the cup from his hand, Jensen had risen from the bed and left the room.

He heard the shower shut off then and imagined Jensen with water beading on his skin and clinging to those long lashes. His cock started to thicken. Just the heat, he told himself, I’m surrounded by the smell.

Lying knotted with his mate earlier he’d felt, content. He wondered how that was possible. He’d hated this man so much just days before that he’d committed the one sure act that would bring him down, and now he was joined to him, pumping his seed deep into his body, instinctively trying to impregnate him. He didn’t want that. He’d accomplished what he’d wanted with unintended consequences. He didn’t want to have children with the guy.

“You’re on birth control, right?” he’d asked.

Jensen huffed. “You ask now?”

“I, I wasn’t really using my head when I got here.”

“Yes, I have an implant. Shithead of a doctor wouldn’t sterilize me.” Jared didn’t say anything. What was there to say? “I won’t do that, Jared. I won’t have your kids.”

“No,” Jared answered. “I wouldn’t expect you to.”

“Just so we’re clear.”

Jensen had shifted slightly, and Jared’s body curled tighter around him. His cock pulsed out more cum. He felt a flutter of apprehension. He was so out of control. His responses to Jensen were unexpected and disconcerting. He didn’t know how he would reconcile his physical desire with his long-standing dislike. They were rivals, and he couldn’t imagine how they would ever call a truce. He hadn’t responded. He had rutted shallowly against Jensen just to feel the shiver that he knew would run through his mate.

Jensen walked out of the bathroom rubbing a towel over his hair. He was wearing gray sweatpants and a black tank top that showed off his broad shoulders and strong arms. Jared had never been so attracted to a man before, and if Jensen thought that would quell Jared’s desire, he was dead wrong.

“Why don’t you take a shower, and I’ll change the bedding,” Jensen said. Jared just lay there and stared at him. Jensen smirked. “Come on, quick, before one of us snaps again.”

Jared grinned. “Yeah, okay.”

~~~

Jensen pulled the soiled sheets off the bed. They were disgusting. He’d never spent two almost entirely uninterrupted days in bed with anyone. He liked sex, and he fit it into his schedule but work had really come first. He needed work. He knew that, but he had to figure out how to mitigate the damage Jared had done to him. While he still felt like the same person, mostly, his alpha and beta business associates wouldn’t see him that way. It was delusional to think differently. He still thought of other omegas as weaker and less capable to lead.

He viciously punched the wad of sheets into the hamper. He took a deep breath. It wouldn’t do to lose his temper at this point. He got another set of sheets from the closet and started making the bed.

He was surprised that he and Jared had been able to talk the way they had without getting angry or making nasty accusations. He could only put it down to their physical connection. Still, that would only go so far. They had to figure out a way to have a relationship, and he wasn’t sure what that would look like.

He smoothed the sheets over the bed and didn’t bother putting the duvet back on. He sure as hell didn’t need anything to keep him warm with Jared in the bed. The guy was like a radiator. Jensen was putting fresh pillow cases on when Jared walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

“Do you, umm, maybe have some underwear I could borrow?” he asked.

“Yeah, top drawer on the right,” Jensen said as he shook the pillow down into the case. “Funny, being hesitant about asking to borrow my shorts after where you’ve been the past couple of days.”

Jared dropped the towel and pulled the boxer briefs up his long legs.

“Snug?” Jensen asked. He couldn’t take his eyes off Jared’s groin where the weight of his cock and balls stretched the fabric.

“No, they’re fine,” Jared said.

“Yeah?” Jensen moved forward and cupped Jared’s crotch.

“Don’t.”

“No?”

“No. I mean, I ... do you just want to go back to bed?”

“No,” Jensen said, but his hand rubbed Jared’s thickening cock, and his anal muscles twitched.

“Jesus,” Jared said. He leaned forward and kissed Jensen. His hands slid lightly across Jensen’s back, and his lips ghosted over Jensen’s before moving back with more insistence. Jensen tipped his head and licked across the seam of Jared’s lips, which opened for it. They hadn’t really done this in all the hours they’d spent touching and fucking. They hadn’t really kissed. Jensen broke the kiss and stepped back. Jared’s hands drug across his sides as though not wanting to release him.

“You hungry?” Jensen asked.

“Yeah.”

Jensen rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll see what there is to eat.”

Jared followed him into the kitchen where the sink was piled high with dishes and the trash can was overflowing.

“I think you’re going to have to give your cleaning person a bonus when they get back,” Jared said.

“Yeah, you think?” Jensen felt a rush of anger. Chris was the only person in his life that he’d told the truth to, and he’d put his life on hold for almost a week. With a spike of anger, he slammed his fist into the wall leaving a dent to match the one Chris had left.

“Fuck,” he said and cradled his hand. Jared took a step toward him. “Don’t. Don’t fucking come near me.”

Jared held his hands up. “Okay.” He went to the freezer and got a bag of frozen vegetables. He held it out to Jensen. “Put that on your hand.” Jensen took it, and pressed it to his knuckles with a wince. “Okay, you want to tell me what set that off,” Jared said.

“One person in my life knows what you’ve done to me. One. I don’t even know how to tell the maid.”

“Oh.” Jared eased himself onto a barstool.

“Yeah, oh. Got any suggestions?”

“Well, umm, press release?”

“What?” Jensen tossed the bag of vegetables into the sink behind him and approached the counter with hands fisted.

“Just hear me out,” Jared said. “If this had been by mutual agreement ...”

“Consensual.”

“Yeah, if we were already in a relationship and decided to mate, that’s what we’d do, right? We’d make an announcement.”

“You’re trying to white wash this. You’re trying to make yourself look better.”

“How do you figure?” Jared’s eyes flashed. “Jesus Christ, Jensen, what I did to you makes me top dog. I would be feared and admired for it.”

“Yeah, if you hadn’t mated me. That just looks like a fuck up,” Jensen said.

Jared compressed his lips and glared at Jensen. “Look, I am trying to figure out a way to mitigate the damage.”

“You want me to pretend I wanted this?”

“I want us to figure out a way to ...”

“To what, Jared?”

Jared’s hands flailed and he looked like he was about to burst with exasperations. “We just spent two days in bed together. This isn’t just going to go away. We have to figure out a way to be in each other’s lives. Don’t we? You wanted a way to tell people. I’m just trying to find a way to make that less painful.”

“Why?”

Jared’s eyes went wide, and he shook his head. Jensen might have laughed at the comically fish out of water movement of his mouth, if this weren’t so important.

“You’re my mate,” he said.

Jensen rounded the counter and approached him. “And that’s important?”

Jared put his hands on Jensen’s hips and pulled him between his knees. He let his forehead fall against Jensen’s chest. “Yes.”

 

  



	3. Chapter 3

**_[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/00012y7b/) _ **

  


Jared was back at work on Monday. Jensen’s heat had ended, and they hadn’t made firm plans on what to do, which didn’t make sense but this whole talking thing was new for them.

He had numerous messages and a pile of documents on his desk when he got in. Chad had taken care of all the minor issues; so everything on Jared’s list was important. As he went through the documents he found a folder from the legal team that included a contract that had been hashed out with AE’s attorneys on the building project.

“What the hell?” he mumbled. He didn’t remembered mentioning it to anyone, and he certainly didn’t think Jensen would agree to it. He put his hand on the phone to call legal when Chad burst through the door.

“Holy shit, sir, you have to see this,” he gushed. He turned on the flat screen TV that hung on the wall, and there he was in high def, Jensen Ackles, business titan, Jared’s mate, looking like the alpha he’d always been. He was standing at the top of the steps of the Ackles Building surrounded by reporters and TV cameras.

“Am I to understand from your statement, Mr. Ackles, that you and Jared Padalecki have mated and you are now an omega?” the reporter from KDFW asked.

“That’s right,” Jensen said. “Thanks for paying attention, Bruce.” Jensen flashed a joking, or possibly condescending, smile.

“Mr. Ackles, was this a business or personal decision?” a pretty redheaded reporter asked.

Jensen smiled warmly. “That’s good question, Danneel. It’s no secret that Jared and I have been business rivals for years. This was 75 percent a business decision.”

“And the other 25 percent?” the redhead asked.

“Sexual attraction,” Jensen said with a smirk.

“Why isn’t he here?” someone shouted.

“He intended to be, but he had an urgent legal matter he had to attend to,” Jensen said.

“Mr. Ackles, why would you give up power like this?” the smarmy, bald reporter from KXAS asked.

The smile was gone, and Jensen narrowed his eyes. “Who says I’m giving up any power, Kurt?”

“Well, your mate may have something to say about that.” There was a nasty glint in the reporter’s beady eyes.

“I’m an excellent businessman. Jared knows that being an omega has nothing to do with that,” Jensen said. “Thank you for coming.” He turned then and walked into the building. One of his attorneys leaned forward to say that there would be no more questions, but the gaggle of reporters continued to shout questions for some time.

Jared was standing with the fingers of both hands pushed back in his hair. “That son of a bitch,” he said. His heart was pounding, and the phone was ringing.

Chad switched the TV off. “Is it true?” he asked.

Jared wasn’t listening to Chad. He was running through damage control strategies in his head. He dropped his hands to his sides. “Unbelievable.”

“I know,” Chad said. “Is Jensen Ackles really an omega?”

“What? Yeah.” Jared looked at his assistant who had a glazed look in his eyes.

Chad sank into a chair. “That’s amazing. Jensen Ackles is an omega, and he’s on TV being all badass.”

“Oh my God.” Jared threw his hands up. “What? He’s your omega hero or something now? Fuck, Chad, I need you on my team here.”

Chad’s eyes scrunched up. “But he’s your mate, right? He’s your business partner now.”

Jared’s mouth dropped open. “I …Yes, sure. Of course, he is.”

“Wow, I hope I can find a mate like you someday, sir,”

~~~

Jensen took off his suit jacket and dropped into his executive chair. He could hear the phone at Katie’s desk ringing non-stop, but she wasn’t putting any calls through. They must be press calls. He loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves. And waited.

His cell phone vibrated on the desktop, and checking the caller, he smiled.

“Hey, Chris,” he said when he clicked it on.

“What the fuck was that?” his friend blurted out.

Jensen chuckled. “Thought I’d take the bull by the horns.”

“Are you insane? Padalecki will be furious.”

“Yeah, probably,” Jensen said. The door opened quietly and Katie’s omega intern set a cup of coffee on his desk and slunk out. “What would you do if Tommy did something like that?”

He heard Chris scoff. “He wouldn’t. We make decisions together.”

“So did we,” Jensen said and took a sip of coffee. “We decided to make an announcement.”

There was a pause. “Jensen, did he agree that you would do it alone because I don’t believe for a second that bullshit about the urgent business.”

“Not exactly.”

“Listen, you are certainly making it look like …”

“I don’t know my place?”

“No,” Chris said. “But a lot of people will see it that way. I was going to say that you are making it look like you don’t respect your mate.” Chris sighed. “Jensen, I know this is hard. You’re an alpha in an omega body. Maybe you always will be, but you need to pull back just a little. You need to think about how you’re making Jared look. Undermining him publicly isn’t to your advantage anymore.”

Jensen let his head fall back against the leather headrest of the chair. “I hate him, Chris.”

“Of course you do. You want to get back at him. You want to destroy him, but Jensen … you know how ruthless he can be. Don’t make him lash out at you.”

“I don’t think he will – not much.”

“Yeah? You think you’ve gotten under his skin?” Jensen could hear the grin in his friend’s voice.

“Yeah, I … I’ll have to call you back,” Jensen said as his office door burst open and Jared strode in.

“What the fuck was that?” Jared shouted. He was huge. Jensen knew that, but a wildly gesticulating Jared looming over his desk was more imposing than any he’d realized.

“That sounds ugly,” Chris said.

“I can handle it,” Jensen said and thumbed the phone off. He rocked back in his chair. “That was the announcement we talked about.”

“We never talked about you doing a press conference,” Jared said. His hair was a mess and his eyes were wild. He was breathing like he’d run up the stairs to the 24th floor.

“No, I guess we didn’t work out the details,” Jensen said.

“The details? Do you have any idea how you made me look?”

“I’m sorry, I guess I didn’t think of your feelings,” Jensen said.

Jared started to speak and then something shifted in his eyes. “Oh.” He ran his hand through his hair and turned away. “I guess I deserved that. I just … we should have done that together.”

“Why, Jared?” Jensen got up and walked around his desk. “So I could stand behind you like a good omega while you told the world how you brought me down?”

Jared turned and the truth of it was all over his face. “You made me look like a fool.”

“You created this situation. Don’t expect me to make it easy for you.”

“How would you feel if you were me?” Jared asked.

“I wouldn’t be in your position,” Jensen replied.

“Oh, Jesus fucking Christ, that is the attitude that has always driven me insane. You are so fucking superior,” Jared’s voice was rising again. “You have always talked down to me.”

“And now that you’ve put me in my place, I’m supposed to kowtow to you?” He leaned back against his desk.

“You aren’t listening to me, Jensen. No matter how successful I’ve become you’ve never given me any respect. You still aren’t.”

“I may have underestimated your ruthlessness, but I respect you. Shit, the attitude is just attitude, Jared. It’s just to needle you because you piss me off. If it didn’t get a rise out of you, I wouldn’t do it.”

Jared tipped his head and peered at Jensen. “You respect me?”

“Of course I do.” Jensen went to the bar and poured them each a drink. “You are the only real competition I’ve ever had in this town – hell, in the whole state.” He handed Jared the drink. “Sit down, please.”

Jared sat on the edge of the sofa with his elbows on his knees. “So ... this morning?”

“You’ll never find me barefoot and pregnant slaving over a hot stove.” Jensen sat down facing him across a low table.

“I told you, I don’t expect that from you,” Jared said.

“Then what do you expect?”

Jared shook his head. “I don’t know, but ... what do you think?”

“You saw the press conference.” Jensen leaned back and sipped his drink.

“You want us to be business partners?”

Jensen nodded.

Jared scrubbed his hand over his face. “You realize why this all started right? Your business and mine? Competitors.”

“Hear me out,” Jensen said. “Why kill AE when you could use its resources to your advantage? We can make AE an independent subsidiary of PADA Inc. Think of the money you could save on subcontracting.”

Jared shook his head. “No, Dana is right, I can’t trust you. This morning proved that.”

“I can’t do anything without your approval. You’d have to see all the contracts and sign off on them.”

“Why would I take the risk so you could have a hobby?”

“Hobby?” Jensen said through clenched teeth.

Jared waved his hand in the air. “Whatever.”

“This kind of not thinking things through is your weakness,” Jensen said. “Even with AE out of the picture, your position at PADA isn’t guaranteed. A dip in the economy or the board just gets a bug up its ass, and you could be out of there. If that happens, we’ll have AE to fall back on.”

“How so? The contract to make AE a subsidiary would have to make AE non-competitive with PADA.”

“Sure, but who’s writing and approving the contract? You are – your legal team. Buried in the contract is a clause that the agreement is with the CEO at the time of the contract initiation. If you’re terminated from employment, AE is released from the contract.”

“And I can get that by the board?”

“You know the board doesn’t really read contracts. Your legal team will approve the contract and recommend it to the board because they will get substantial bonuses.”

Jared nodded. “And if they don’t they’ll be looking for work. No one in Dallas will hire any of them without my recommendation. They know that.” He thought for a moment. “Tell me again what’s in this for you?”

Jensen leaned forward. “AE is important to me, Jared. It’s my family legacy and my life’s work. You’ve taken my autonomy. Don’t take this.”

Jared looked up. “And why should I trust you?”

“Because ...” Jensen rattled the ice in his glass. “Because you can take me down any time you like. It’s in my interest to play fair with you. Besides, we’re mates, and AE is our safety net.”

Jared set his glass down and stood up. “It’s an interesting proposal, but you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t jump at it.”

Jensen rose. “Think about it. Talk it over with Dana. I think she’ll see the benefit to all of us.”

Jared walked to the door and turned. “By the way, there was a contract on my desk today with AE on the Pelham Building project.”

Jensen stepped close to Jared. He smelled slightly of sweat and expensive cologne, and he could almost feel Jared’s hands on his hips. Jensen pushed the rising arousal away. “It was your idea,” Jensen said. “It’s up to you, but it still benefits PADA.”

Jared’s hand rose halfway to Jensen’s face before it dropped back to his side. “Yeah,” he said. His voice was rough, and he cleared his throat. “I’ll, umm, I’ll let you know about the other thing.”

“Fine.” Jensen started to walk away as Jared opened the door.

“Jensen.” Jared was standing in the doorway.

“Yeah?”

“Stay away from the press,” he said and pulled the door closed behind him.

~~~

Jared hesitated with his hand on doorknob of his own house. He really didn’t want to hash this out with Dana after everything that had happened. He hadn’t spoken to her since their last blow up, and that alone was impetus for another one. He didn’t get where he was by avoiding conflict, however. He went through the mud room and kitchen and found her in the spare room with dresses spread out all over the bed and tossed over chairs and bureaus. She glanced at him but didn’t say anything.

Jared fidgeted in the doorway. “Did you see?”

Her glare was like a dagger. “He made you look like a fool.”

Jared scoffed. “Thank you for the support. You think I don’t know that?”

“Maybe I’d feel more supportive if you hadn’t been fucking him for two days.” She was clutching a red dress in her hands.

“It was your idea.”

“Two days,” she shouted and tossed the dress aside.

“Jesus Christ, Dana, I ... He’d gone off the suppressants and I was ... unprepared for that.”

“So he bent you over, figuratively speaking.”

“It wasn’t like that.” His jaw clenched.

“That’s how it looks.” She began snatching dresses up and piling them over her arm.

“He isn’t going to just turn into some submissive omega overnight. He’ll never be Chad.”

“No, he won’t, Jared; so what are you going to do about him?”

“That’s actually what I came to talk to you about. Do you think we could sit down and talk?” Jared asked.

“I don’t know,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Look, I know I’ve really fucked things up, but I want to make this work. I love you, and I don’t want Jensen to screw things up between us. I need your input on how to handle this. Please.”

“Okay.” She laid the pile of dresses on the bed, and he followed her into the kitchen. She poured them each a cup of coffee and slid a cup across the counter to him.

“Ow,” he said. He’d banged his knee on the cabinet as he folded himself onto a barstool. He rubbed it unconsciously.

“So?”

“So I went to talk to Jensen,” he said as he spooned sugar into the cup. “Actually I went to wring his neck but changed my mind on the way there. Didn’t figure that would be good publicity.”

“You must feel awful,” she said, but there was no sympathy in it.

“Yeah, well, long story short. He had a proposition,” Jared said. He explained Jensen’s proposal to her, and she listened, interrupting only to ask questions. At the end, she pursed her lips.

“Interesting idea,” she said. “The idea of a back-up plan is appealing, and he’s right, he can’t act without your approval. He’s devious though. You’d really have to stay on top it – maybe have an attorney who does nothing but comb over his contracts. More coffee?”

“No, thanks.”

She went to the coffee maker and poured herself another cup. “You have the upper hand right now, and you ought to make the most of it,” she said. “You can get him to make some concessions.” She smiled.

“Like what?”

“Let me handle it.”

“Dana.”

“Look, he needs to know that I am first with you,” she said. “He’s at the bottom in this ... family or whatever we are.”

Jared felt apprehensive about letting Dana deal with Jensen, but he needed to appease her and she had an astute business sense. He nodded. “You’re right. I trust you to take care of it.”

She grinned. “Good.” She walked around the island and kissed his cheek. “That’s what I like to hear.”

~~~

Jensen was exhausted when he got home from work. He’d set Katie down and explained things to her, and she’d agreed to stick with him at least until he knew where things were going with the proposed deal between AE and PADA. The entire company was in quiet chaos, and he’d spent most of the day trying to calm department heads and reassure business associates that the Pelham Building project was still a go.

When he got home he found a note from his long time housekeeper that she wouldn’t be able to work for him anymore. She hoped he understood, but she didn’t work for omegas. His spare key was lying on top of the note.

“Great, just fucking great,” he mumbled. Nothing like finding out that you aren’t good enough for your maid. She wasn’t worried about a recommendation because everyone would know and understand why she’d quit. He’d never really questioned the prejudice against omegas because he’d been at the top of the food chain. “Never should have hired a beta to clean house.”

He changed into jeans and a t-shirt and went into the kitchen to take out the trash and fill the dishwasher. He was putting a new trash bag in the can when the doorbell rang.

“No,” he said. He slumped against the counter. He didn’t even want to see Chris. He didn’t want to see anyone. He considered not answering the door, but the bell rang again and he thought he should at least see who it was. He padded down the hall in his stocking feet and checked the security screen, which showed a tiny dark-haired woman in a smart suit. Jensen banged his forehead against the wall next to the camera and then took a deep breath.

“Dana,” he said when he swung the door open.

“Jensen.” She swept by him and down the hallway, leaving a cloud of heavy cologne in her wake.

“Come in,” he said under his breath and followed her down the hall. “Can I get you a drink?”

“That would be nice.” She walked up to the living room windows and took in the view. “I’d love a glass of wine.”

“Red or white?”

“Merlot would be lovely,” she said without taking her eyes from the sunset.

He went into the kitchen for their drinks. As he opened the wine and found glasses, he imagined luring her onto the balcony where she would lose her balance and tip over the rail. He wondered what kind of dent she would make in the roof of his neighbor’s Audi. He could almost hear the sound of the car alarm from far below.

“Here you are,” he said as he entered the living room.

She turned from the window then, and her gaze raked over his body. “Lovely view,” she said as she took her wine glass. She gestured to the windows with it. “Same view from Jared’s office.”

“Yes,” he said and took a drink.

“I’ve never seen you out of a suit,” she said. “You work out.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s good. Keep it up. Jared will want you fit,” she said before sitting on the edge of a suede club chair.

Jensen flushed with anger. “I don’t think ...”

“That your relationship with my husband is any of my business? It’s entirely my business. We’re family now.”

“Is that what you call it? Look, this wasn’t my idea. This was your husband’s doing, and no, I don’t think my sexual relationship with him is any of your business.”

“Oh, don’t get angry. You and I are the victims in this, Jensen. Jared screwed up, and we have to pick up the pieces. That’s why I’m here,” she said with a smile. “Sit down, hon. Let’s talk.”

“Dana.” Jensen sat on the sofa. “Does Jared know you’re here?”

“He does,” she said. “He told me about your proposal, and it has merit. I’m inclined to take you up on it, but you will need to make a show of good faith.”

Acid roiled in his stomach, and he set his glass down. “What does that mean?”

“The Pelham project – you will need to increase the subcontracted work to PADA by 75 percent.”

“Jesus,” Jensen said. He got up and walked to the windows. His fists clenched, and his eyes burned. He took a deep breath trying to get himself under control. He prided himself on not letting his opponents see when they got to him, but the past week had been one humiliation after another. The last thing he wanted was for this beta to see how close he was to breaking. “You just can’t let me have this one last thing can you?”

“Jensen, you may not be as ruthless as Jared, but you are even more devious. I’ve watched the two of you battle for years. Every time he’s landed a hit on you, you’ve come back twice as hard. We have no reason to trust you; so forgive me if I want this concession.”

He turned around then. She looked so put together as she sat there in her Jimmy Choos holding her wine glass loosely on her knee. “If you can’t do this,” she said, “why should I believe that you can submit to Jared’s authority in this deal? Because that is what it will take to make it work you know? If the two of you disagree, it will be his decision.”

Jensen knew it was true. He’d tried not to think too much about it. He’d told himself that Jared would be too busy to get into the details of AE’s business. In the end, he knew she was right.

“What you’re proposing is more than any omega could hope for,” she said and set her glass on the table. “Consider the alternative.”

“What’s that?”

She turned her hands palms upward and shrugged. “That’s a good question. You know I looked into what usually happens, and well, this just doesn’t happen with companies the size of yours. But, when it happens in small businesses, the omega generally turns the company over this his alpha and goes off to have babies.”

He could just pick her up and toss her off the balcony, he thought.

“But that’s not you.” She stood. “So, do we have a deal?”

“Yeah.” It was barely audible. “Yes, it’s a deal.”

She stepped forward and offered her hand. He shook it, whereupon she picked up her Gucci bag and headed for the door.

“Dana,” he said as they approached the door.

“Yes.” She turned, and there were tears in her eyes. He was taken aback. He knew her reputation as a savvy, calculating business woman. That’s all he’d been thinking of, but he’d seen photos of her and Jared in the social pages. It was hard to miss press about the celebrated golden couple of Dallas. He’d seen the way they looked at one another, and he didn’t doubt her love for Jared.

“I ... how are we going to do this?” he asked.

He knew she understood what he meant when she shook her head. “I don’t know.” Tears were threatening to spill over her lashes when she said ‘excuse me’ and slipped out the door.

Jensen leaned back against the wall and wondered why his life had spun so out of control. He castigated himself again for agreeing to that fateful meeting with Padalecki. One mistake, one little fuck up, and his life was over. That’s what he got for being too prideful. His mother had warned him about that. Life was certainly teaching him to be humble now.


	4. Chapter 4

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/00013x9c/)

  


Jensen was glad he was alone in the elevator. He took a deep breath and watched the numbers blink upward as it ascended. It had been six weeks since he’d been in Jared’s office. He didn’t ever want to see that room again, but he wasn’t the kind of guy who let his emotions rule his actions. Jared was his business partner, and avoiding his office for the rest of his life was out of the question. He couldn’t let Jared think that what he’d done would prevent him from going back into the lion’s den.

Still, Jensen’s heart was pounding and sweat was beading on his upper lip. He took another deep breath and slowly released it. He wiped the sweat away just as the elevator dinged and the doors opened on the executive level.

There was a cute omega with spiky blond hair outside Jared’s office. The name plate on the desk read Chad Michael Murray. He had the phone to his ear and his eyes fixed on his computer screen. Jensen leaned on the desk and smiled. There was a pull of irritation at the PA’s eyebrows before he looked up. His eyes grew wide.

“I, I’ll call you back,” he said to whoever was on the phone. He lowered his voice then. “No, I have to go. It’s Jensen Ackles. It’s … I have to go.” He hung up the phone and smiled at Jensen. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Ackles.”

“Hi, you must be Chad.”

“You know my name,” Chad said as though dumbstruck.

Jensen thought about showing the kid the nameplate, but said, “We’ve spoken on the phone.”

“Oh yeah, of course we have,” Chad said. “Oh my God, Mr. Ackles, I can’t tell you how nice it is to really meet you.” The kid glanced at Jared’s closed office door. “I mean, you are so inspiring. I really love my job, you know, but I thought that once I found a mate, I’d have to quit and now I know I can still work. I mean, I could, right? Mr. Padalecki wouldn’t make me quit – not if he approves of you working.”

Jensen smiled. “I know you are an important part of Jared’s administrative team. A good assistant is like gold,” Jensen said. Omegas were fine employees before they mated. Chad must be great at his job to be working for someone as demanding as Jared, but once an omega mated and started going into heat every three months or so, it was a different story, not to mention the fact that they usually started breeding pretty quickly and then their kids became the priority not their jobs. Jared might be sad to see Chad go if he mated, but Jensen doubted that he’d try to keep him there. Still, Jensen didn’t care if he made Jared’s life just a little more complicated by giving his employee unreasonable expectations, besides the kid was kind of cute, exactly the kind of omega he would have spent a few nights with before Jared had fucked up his life. “I’m sure that Jared would make accommodations for you if you mated.”

“Yeah?” The kid was standing up now, and leaning on the desk toward Jensen. He didn’t notice that Jared’s door was open and his boss was standing there watching.

“Absolutely,” Jensen said. He had seen the movement and knew perfectly well that Jared was taking in the entire discussion. “Jared is a progressive. That’s obvious, right?”

“See, I knew it,” Chad said. “The guy I worked for before I came to PADA was such an anachronism, but I just knew Mr. Padalecki was different, and you, oh my God, you are … You’re inspirational.”

Jensen smiled and leaned closer and dropped his voice a little. “You know, Chad, you have really beautiful eyes.”

The kid’s mouth formed an O and made a small squeak. Jensen realized he was enjoying himself way too much when his cock began to thicken. It felt good. He felt a little like his old self. He wondered how long it would take him to get Chad in the copy room with his pants around his ankles and his pretty ass in the air. Just because he was an omega didn’t mean he couldn’t fuck the boy.

“Jensen,” Jared said as he strode out of his office. He wrapped his arm around Jensen’s waist and pulled him into a solid kiss that clearly showed ownership. When he broke the kiss, he put one huge hand in the small of Jensen’s back and steered him into his office, and Jensen let him. He’d had his fun after all, and now he felt a little better about having to go into Jared’s office.

“Hold my calls, Chad,” he called over his shoulder. Jensen felt himself propelled into the room. “What the fuck was that?” Jared demanded when the door was shut.

“What?” Jensen asked just a delaying tactic.

“You know damn well what,” Jared said. “What the fuck are you doing flirting with Chad?”       

“Why do you care?”

“First of all, this is my office. How do you think it looks for my mate to come here and hit on my employees? We are supposed to be … I don’t know. I don’t even know what we’re supposed to be. That isn’t the point. Quit making me look bad, Jensen.” He stomped across the room and threw himself in his chair. “Why are you even here?”

“Contracts were sent over two days ago for you to sign. I haven’t gotten them back.”

“Yeah, yeah, I … they’re here.” Jared began rifling through papers on his desk, and Jensen silently fumed. He knew that the contracts weren’t a priority for Jared, but the assigned attorney had already gone over them. All Jared had to do was sign them.

“You know, I don’t know what you expect of me,” Jensen said. He had stepped in front of Jared’s desk. The seating area was behind him and he was intentionally not looking at the leather sofa, but it was there. He could almost smell it.

“What do you mean?” Jared didn’t look up. He was digging through a pile of folders.

“Do you think I’m just supposed to wait around for you to come to the apartment and fuck me?”

Jared froze with a pile of contracts in his hand. He looked up. “What?”

“I have a functioning dick. Why shouldn’t I stick it in some pretty omega if I have the inclination?”

Jared’s eyes darkened, and his brows pulled together. “Because you are my mate.” He picked up his pen and went through the pile of contracts, signing each one with almost vicious enthusiasm. When he was finished, he held the stack out to Jensen. “If you need fucked, call me. I know what my duty is.”

“Thanks, that’s heartwarming,” Jensen said.

~~~

“Tell me what it’s like,” Dana said.

“What’s that?” Jared asked. He tucked her tiny body against his very large one. He thought of Jensen, solid and warm, fitted to him, soft freckled shoulders. He hated that he was never alone with Dana anymore. Thoughts of his mate always intruded.

“Tying him. What’s that like?”

“Why do you ask?” He kissed the top of her head. Her dark hair was satiny, like a raven’s wing against his cheek.

“It’s different, right? You’re orgasm just now was what? Ten, fifteen seconds? When you knot, it’s how long?”

“It varies,” he said. He’d been floating along on a post-orgasmic high, and now he was wary and apprehensive.

“So, like how long?” she asked.

“Ten, twenty minutes,” he said. He knew that a few times it had been longer but average … Yeah, he wasn’t lying. “But it isn’t that intense the whole time.”

“So …”

“Initially, it is but then, it’s just, umm, I don’t know, pleasant, or intermittently intense.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“Just huh.”

Jared knew there was never a ‘just huh’ with Dana. She was digesting what he’d said and deciding what to do with it. And much as he loved her, he was digesting it too. He thought of the two days he’d spent with Jensen while he was in heat, and he wondered if it would always be like that.

“How do you feel about him now?” she asked.

He didn’t like where her questions were going. Dana was never just curious about anything. There was always something behind it. “What do you mean by now?”

“Now, after all that sex and intimacy. Doesn’t it change things?”

“No, he’s still an asshole.”

“I thought you were getting along.”

Jared huffed out a breath. “He came to the office yesterday and was hitting on Chad.”

She rolled over facing him and propped herself up on an elbow. “Hitting on your PA was bad form, but why do you care if he fucks omegas?”

“He’s my mate. Why does everyone keep forgetting that?”

“Jay, he told the world your mating was a business decision. No one thinks it’s love.”

“That isn’t the point,” Jared said and flopped over on his back. “He’s still mine.”

“How possessive of you.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Of course you did. Alphas,” she said and rolled onto her back, “such cavemen. You don’t want him, but you don’t want anyone else to have him either.” She was quiet a moment, and he hoped that was the end of it. “You don’t do you?”

“I haven’t touched him since his heat,” he said. “When he goes back in, I’ll do my duty, but no, I don’t.”

“Then let him have omegas,” she said. “As long as he’s discreet, it can only be to your advantage.”

“How so?”

“It will keep him out of your hair.”

Out of my bed, you mean, Jared thought. She was worried. Of course, she was. Power imbalance between beta and omega was legendary. Wealthy men tended to keep their mates apart, but in cases where they lived in the same house, betas abused omegas twice as often as alphas did. That was with a submissive omega. Jared hated to think what a battle between Dana and Jensen would be like. They’d probably start out with hand grenades and tanks. Fortunately, Jensen wasn’t interested in fighting for him.

Jared pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “You’re right. As long as he doesn’t publicly embarrass us, I don’t really care who he sees … or fucks.” She snuggled against him, and he sighed. “Thanks.”

“For what, baby?”

“For always being the voice of reason.”

~~~

Jensen hadn’t intended to pick anyone up. He just needed to get out of the apartment. He was beginning to feel like Rapunzel or someone. He’d called Chris, but he and Tommy already had plans. So he just went down to the corner bar, and it felt good to just sit, eat peanuts, drink beer, watch the game. It was warm and loud and the air was filled with the smells of onion rings and hot wings and the intermittent cheers of football fans.

“Excuse me, is someone sitting here.”

Jensen looked over at the dark haired guy pointing to the stool next to Jensen.

“Sure, you,” Jensen said, and got a wide smile in return. The guy was gorgeous with gray eyes and a muscular body that was only accentuated by his ratty t-shirt and beat up jeans. “I’m Jensen.” He held out his hand, and kid’s grip was firm, lingered a little longer than necessary. He didn’t give any indication that he recognized Jensen.

“Nice to meet you, Jensen. I’m Matt.”

“You don’t sound like you’re from Texas,” Jensen said.

“Ah, no, I just transferred to UT,” he said. He pointed at Jensen’s almost empty beer when the bartender approached and held up to fingers. “I’m in the PhD program. Economics.”

“Really? Economics? Sounds fascinating,” Jensen said. The bartender set two beers down, and Matt put a ten on the bar. “Thanks,” Jensen said and they clinked the necks of their beers together.

Matt laughed. “Yeah, I think it is, actually.”

“Okay.”

“What do you do?”

“Me? Construction.”

“That explains why you have such a great body.” Matt blushed and looked away. “Wow, that was forward, huh?”

Jensen laughed. “I’m okay with it.” He took a drink of beer. “You know I’m an omega though, right?”

“Mm-hm, but I don’t care,” Matt grinned. “You know, there’s a whole new omega-omega thing going on.”

“Oh?”

“Oh, yeah, I mean …” He looked up at Jensen through sooty lashes and smiled shyly. “Sometimes toys are required, but I’m thinking you still have what it takes.”

Jensen leaned forward and spoke in the kid’s ear. “Yeah, I think I do.”

They’d left a trail of clothes from the front door of Jensen’s apartment to the bed, and Jensen for the first time in weeks felt like himself. He had a moment when Matt crawled onto the bed when he wondered if that’s what he looked like to Jared. Then he realized he didn’t. Jared had only seen him in heat, his hole engorged and drooling with slick.

This with Matt was sexual attraction, not biological need. He bent and licked at the other omega’s pink hole. Matt’s body jerked as if hit with a jolt of electricity.

“Please, Jensen, come on, man, don’t tease,” he said. He’d dropped his head and his hips were tipped up. A rivulet of juice oozed from his hole, and Jensen spread it around with his tongue. “Oh God,” Matt moaned.

Jensen’s cock was hard, aching, and leaking as he lined up and pushed into the younger omega’s body. He was overwhelmed with the need to dominate. He felt in control as he pounded the kid’s ass and Matt had begged for more. Jensen was hoping he could last long enough to get the omega off, but it wasn’t long before Matt was shaking and moaning. When his muscles clenched around Jensen’s cock, it tipped him over the edge. The orgasm was so intense, he nearly collapsed onto Matt’s back. He pushed in until his balls were pressed to the kid’s ass, and for the first time in his life didn’t have to worry about knotting the omega under him. The thought sobered him, and he let his cock slip from clutching heat.

“That was awesome,” Matt said.

“Yeah? Good.”

He lay back on the bed. Matt lay down beside him. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just …” Jensen rubbed a hand over his face. “That’s the first time I’ve fucked anyone since I was turned.”

“Really? How long’s that been?”

“A couple months.”

“Oh, so … that’s …” Matt laid his hand flat on Jensen’s chest. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, not really, but I should tell you that I’m mated.”

The look on Matt’s face was almost comical as he looked around as though expecting a jealous alpha to pop out of the closet.

Jensen smiled. “Don’t worry. He doesn’t live with me.”

“You mean you don’t live with him.”

Jensen felt a flash of anger and got up. That’s when he felt slick between his buttocks. “Yeah, whatever.” Matt followed him into the bathroom where Jensen went to the sink and wet a washcloth. He washed his cock and leaking hole. “It was a mistake. He just meant to turn me.”

Jensen looked into the mirror and saw the realization in Matt’s eyes. “So, it was forced,” he said.

Jensen rinsed out the washcloth and handed it to Matt. “Yeah, it was just business. I wasn’t completely honest with you. I don’t work construction.”

“Yeah, kind of figured when I saw your place.”

“I own a construction company. One of the biggest in the state. He was a competitor who wanted to take me out.” He could hear the bitterness and resignation in his own voice, but he couldn’t play it off. He shrugged. “It is what it is.”

Matt’s mouth hung open for a moment. “That is fucking Medieval. What is the guy some kind of axe-wielding barbarian?”

Jensen couldn’t help but laugh as he went back into the bedroom. He pulled his underwear and jeans back on. “Seriously?” He glanced at Matt who had followed him into the bedroom and stood naked with his jeans in his hand. His small, almost useless cock and balls were on display. Jensen had never thought much about omegas who were turned young and lost whatever development they might have had. He looked away.

“How old were you when you were turned?” he asked.

“Sixteen,” Matt said as he got dressed.

“Voluntary?”

“Yeah, I had a crush on the neighbor and … yeah, I knew it was what I wanted.”

“So you don’t personally know what alpha interaction is like,” Jensen said. “But surely you haven’t been that sheltered.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “No, I’ve heard the stories, but really I thought that was in the past and soap operas and shit. I mean, yeah, I knew guys that got gangbanged at frat parties, but I didn’t really think that it was used as a business strategy.”

“Yeah, well, now you know. It may be considered uncivilized but it isn’t illegal,” Jensen said. “Hungry?”

They went into the kitchen where Jensen dug some deli meat and cheese out of the refrigerator. “Wheat or rye?”

“Rye.”

“Beer?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Jensen handed him two beers and started on the sandwiches. “The bottle opener is there in the drawer by the sink. Sorry, I can’t offer you anything but sandwiches. I haven’t gotten a new housekeeper yet.”

“Your housekeeper quit?”

“Yeah. Mustard or mayo?”

“Mustard.” Matt leaned back against the counter and tipped the beer up. “Can I ask you something?”

“Hmm?”

“What’s it like, being tied?”

Jensen glanced at him and shook his head. “Probably nothing like it would be for you.”

“Why?” He took paper plate with the sandwich from Jensen and sat down at the island.

“Because I was an alpha for 32 years,” Jensen said. He took a drink of beer and seemed to have forgotten his own food. “I was a control freak, and being in heat is an absolute loss of control. I hate the alpha who turned me. He’s destroyed my life, but I would do anything … I’d have killed anyone who came between me and him when I was in heat.” Worse, Jensen thought, I’d beg and crawl.

“That must be …”

“Humiliating,” Jensen said. He pushed his plate away. “You know I have a friend, Chris, who mated when he was in college. He and his partner, Tom, have such a great relationship, beautiful children.” He shook his head. “I can’t imagine.”

“How come you never mated or got married?”

Jensen felt like his heart stopped for a moment, and when it beat again, the pain was enough to make him turn away. “Just never found the right one, I guess.” Jensen left it at that, and Matt didn’t pursue the issue. Jensen wrapped up his sandwich and put it in the refrigerator.

“Listen, I hate to eat and run, but I have work in the morning,” Matt said.

“Yeah, me too,” Jensen said. When they got to the door, Jensen pulled him into a kiss that left the gray-eyed omega smiling.

“So, can we get together again?”

“You want to?” Jensen asked.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Matt said. “I like you, and you’re gorgeous and, yeah, I do.”

“Matt, you know there’s no future in this.” He felt like he should shove the kid out the door, but held onto his hips.

“I just started my PhD, and I don’t want to get mated before I’m through,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about that with you, right? We can just have fun.”

“Yeah,” Jensen kissed him and let him out. “Sounds good.” Matt turned and waved at him from the elevator and Jensen closed the door. “We’ll just have fun,” he said quietly.

~~~

Jared hadn’t seen Jensen since the day he’d been at Jared’s office, and although he’d told Dana he’d talk to Jensen about taking lovers, he hadn’t gotten around to it. They barely talked on the phone. Most of their interaction was through the contract attorney.

But he’d realized that it had been twelve weeks since Jensen’s last heat, and since Jensen hadn’t contacted him the first time around, he felt like he should check on his mate. Whatever else he was, he wasn’t sadistic enough to leave Jensen alone during a heat.

As he rode up in the elevator, he thought of how different things would be if he and Jensen had lived a couple of hundred years ago. Everything that Jensen owned would be his – his home, his business, financial assets, all of it. Jensen would be living in his home and under Dana’s thumb. He’d probably already be pregnant.

“What an ugly mess that would be,” he mumbled to himself. Still there was an order to the things were done then that was reassuring. The elevator doors opened, and he crossed the teak and caramel vestibule. He ran the doorbell and waited. He rang it a second time and thought that he probably should have called. He was just about to do so when Jensen answered the door.

“Jared,” he said in surprise. He was dressed in jeans and a Henley, and his hair was standing up in clumps. There was slight underlying ripeness of early heat radiating off him. “What are you doing here?”

“Figured you were due to go into heat,” Jared said. “I didn’t want to leave you hanging.” His cock was already responding to Jensen’s scent, and warmth was spreading over his skin. That’s when he saw a movement down the hallway. There was a young omega, tall and lean, dark hair, standing there. “Who the hell is that?”

He tried to push past Jensen, but a hand in the middle of his chest stopped him. Jared looked down into furious green eyes. “It’s a friend,” Jensen said.

“I told you no,” Jared said. His agreement with Dana, her rational argument, all of it, flew out the window when faced with the knowledge that his mate had been fucking someone else. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to break the interloper in two or shove Jensen against the wall and fuck him until he couldn’t walk.

“Just, just go in the living room while I get him to leave,” Jensen said. He had a hold of Jared’s biceps and steered him toward the living room, away from the bedroom. “Come on. Make yourself a drink and calm down.” Jensen’s cheeks were flushed and the smell of his heat had increased in response to Jared’s presence.

Jared grabbed his mate’s arm as he started to walk away. “You have two minutes,” he growled. Jensen nodded and left the room. As Jared poured a shot of bourbon, he heard muffled voices and the sound of the door shutting. He downed the shot and turned to find Jensen leaning in the doorway.

“We talked about this,” he said.

“And I ignored you,” Jensen said. He turned and started down the hallway. “You coming?”

Jensen already had his shirt off and was sliding out of his jeans when Jared got to the bedroom, and despite his arousal, Jared couldn’t help taking in the tousled bedding and the underlying smell of sex. It was a purely omega smell, but a fiery anger erupted in his gut knowing that Jensen had been with someone else. His fists clenched. He wanted to grab Jensen and shake him, make him swear to never take anyone else to his bed.

Jensen stepped out of his jeans and looked over his shoulder. The hunger in his eyes had Jared moving in a moment. He shoved Jensen onto his knees on the bed. He undid his fly, pulled his already aching cock out and shoved it deep into his mate. Jensen cried out and arched back against him. Jared bent over him and bit into the meat of his shoulder until he tasted blood. It only took a few thrusts and his knot was swelling, and by the time it was tied, Jensen was trembling and his channel was milking cum from Jared’s cock.

Jared pulled them onto their sides, and wrapped himself around his mate’s body, he licked over the bite mark he’d left on the freckled skin.

“You’re mine,” Jared said.

Jensen shuddered as the knot pulsed and another surge of seed was pushed into his channel.

“You don’t own me,” Jensen said.

“You don’t know what it’s like,” Jared said as he rubbed circles on Jensen’s belly.

There was a long pause, and Jared felt Jensen take a deep breath. “When I was a junior in college, I met Jake,” Jensen said. “He was smart and hot and funny. He was the one. I knew it, he knew it. We mated.”

Jared’s hand stopped moving and his breath caught in his throat.

“I thought … People in love are stupid. Jake was at UT on a scholarship. He was some poor ranch kid from El Paso. Not good enough for the son of the mighty Edward and Delores Ackles. A community college kid. That’s what my father called him.”

Jensen’s voice revealed no emotion. It was like he was reciting a shopping list. Jared started to feel sick. He didn’t want to hear the rest of this story.

“He went home during spring break and didn’t come back. His mother got home from work one day and found him. Gunshot wound to the head.”

Jared didn’t have to ask if it was suicide. He knew better. Edward Ackles had played hardball. He had mob connections as had Jared’s father. Jared found himself kissing the back of Jensen’s neck.

“I’m sorry.”

Jensen shrugged him off. “Just don’t tell me I don’t know how it feels. I’ve mated for the right reasons. You don’t know how that feels.”

Jared sighed. “I know how I feel about Dana, but no, I know it’s different ... this would be different.” He ran his fingers through Jensen’s hair and pressed a kiss below his ear. He knew Jensen didn’t want it, but he couldn’t stop touching him. It wasn’t enough to lie there tied to him.

“Tell me about him,” Jared said. “The guy you were with when I got here.”

“Leave him alone, Jared,” Jensen said. “He’s just a nice kid looking for a good time while he’s in grad school. He’ll meet an alpha, mate, and have pretty babies someday. He’s no threat to you.”

“I know,” Jared said, and he did. Jensen was his, and he felt like an idiot for being so possessive. “I just … Dana had already talked me into letting you have lovers. It’s the rational thing, but when you opened the door and I smelled you and he was here ... I’m sorry.”

 

  



	5. Chapter 5

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/00014ksd/)

  


Jensen lay curled in on himself listening to the shower running. They’d tied twice the night before, and now he just wanted Jared to leave. Of course he knew that the moment Jared walked out of the bathroom, he’d want him to come back to bed. It was humiliating. He’d thrown his lover out of the apartment so he could get fucked by a guy he hated.

And Jared’s behavior the evening before hadn’t helped. He’d told Jared about Jake because he was angry and resentful, and Jared had seemed honestly sympathetic. He’d kept kissing Jensen’s neck and stroking his arms and belly in a way that made Jensen want to punch him. He was resisting being honest with himself but the truth was it felt natural to have his mate touch him that way. He was as angry with himself as he was with Jared.

This was hell. He was in hell. He flopped over onto his back and a wave of nausea rushed through him. He rolled off the bed and barely made it to the toilet before he was vomiting. The heaves were so violent he could barely catch his breath in between. He coughed as it came out his nose and his eyes streamed with tears. His muscles clenched but there was nothing to come up. A big, warm hand gripped his shoulder, and Jensen sat back against the wall. The cold tile felt good against his bare back.

“You okay?” Jared asked. He squatted down in front of Jensen. His eyebrows pulled together.

“It’s the suppressants,” he said and tried to catch his breath. “Possible side effect. It’s worse than last time.”

Jared went to the sink and wet a wash cloth. He tried to wipe Jensen’s face, but Jensen snatched it out of his hand. “So go off them,” Jared said.

Jensen wiped his face with the wet cloth and glared at Jared.

“We made it through last time without them,” Jared said as he put his shirt on.

“I have a business to run. I can’t just call in sick for a week,” Jensen said. He felt exhausted. The idea of going in the office was almost more than he could deal with.

“I don’t know. I’d make reasonable accommodation for an omega employee.” Jared was looking in the mirror as he knotted his tie. “You said so yourself to Chad. Surely, you’re a better boss than I am.”

“Fuck you, Jared,” Jensen said without much force.

Jared sighed. “There’s this thing called technology – computers, phones, faxes. You can get a lot done from home,” he said. “Don’t do this to yourself. You aren’t any good at work if you’re sick.”

Jensen didn’t say anything. He just shut his eyes and hoped that when he opened them, Jared would be gone.

“Okay then. I’ll check on you this evening,” Jared said.

Jensen did manage to get showered and go into the office. He spent most of the morning in the small bathroom adjacent to his office. He had a headache and couldn’t keep anything down. He’d called Dr. Collins office, and the nurse repeated what Collins had told him – that if he was allergic to the suppressant, there wasn’t anything that could be done. He needed to quit taking it. He didn’t want to believe it, but a check on the internet indicated it was true. The allergic reaction was caused by the very mechanism in the suppressant that made it effective.

He went home at lunchtime and went to bed. He laid there and drifted in and out of sleep feeling sorry for himself. How many ways can a man’s life go wrong anyway? He thought of Jake. They’d just been kids really, but it had felt so right that he’d been sure that somehow it would all work out. He’d known that his parents would be opposed to the relationship, but he’d never thought that his love for someone would result in their death.

While he had sworn to his father that he’d never give him grandkids, he’d sworn to himself that he’d never mate again – not for love anyway. That had worked out in a perverse way. He felt like he was being paid back for something, but he wasn’t sure what.

And Jared – what the hell was going on with the guy? He’d hated Jensen so much he’d destroyed his life, and now he was all concern and possessiveness. Jensen was pretty sure that Jared had some new scheme to undermine him further. That was the best explanation. It might seem like he couldn’t get screwed any more, but he was confident Jared could find a way.

He burrowed farther under the covers and drifted off again.

~~~

After ringing the bell three times with no answer, Jared got out the key he’d had made and let himself into Jensen’s apartment. He knew Jensen was there. His assistant Katie had said he went home sick, and Jared felt something like the panicked flutter of a trapped bird in his chest that he really wanted to ignore but couldn’t.

He knew that Jensen would have a fit about him coming in this way, but he’d deal with that later. He made his way down the hallway to the bedroom. The blinds were drawn, but he could make out Jensen’s figure under the covers of the bed. He was turned toward the wall, curled into a ball. The smell of his heat permeated the room, and Jared’s cock was hard and leaking in seconds. He stripped off his clothes and eased under the covers. Jensen barely reacted when Jared pressed his chest to his back and curved around him. He just let out a quiet moan.

“Shh, gonna take care of you,” Jared said as he pressed the head of his cock against Jensen’s soppy hole. Jensen pushed his hips back as Jared slid into his body. It was so tight and hot and slick, it took everything Jared had to not pound into him. Instead, he took it slow, using short, easy movements until Jensen was moving with him in rhythm. Jared had his face pressed against the back of Jensen’s neck and his thumb was rubbing over a nipple. As Jared’s knot began to swell, Jensen started moaning and trembling, and he cried out as his climax hit.

Jared followed as Jensen’s muscles clutched at his knot and milked his cock. He felt on the verge of passing out. There was nothing like this bliss of filling his omega full of seed, deeply claiming him. He realized that it didn’t matter if Jensen took lovers. He could fuck all the omegas he wanted, he belonged to Jared. No one else could have him this way.

“You can hate me, Jen,” he said against his omega’s ear. “But don’t make yourself suffer. Use me when you need to. This is what I’m for.”

~~~

Jensen didn’t know what to say. He’d made himself miserable trying to stay away from Jared. What good had it done to try to take it out on Jared? He was right after all, Jensen had just made himself suffer, not Jared.

“Fuck you, Jared.”

He felt a puff of air against his neck as Jared chuckled. “God, you are a tough one.”

“Yeah,” Jensen said, but he didn’t feel tough. He hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday. Despite all the sleep he’d gotten, he felt exhausted. He started to drift off again when Jared’s knot pulsed inside him and Jared rutted shallowly against him. Within moments, Jensen felt another orgasm building. Jared’s hand wrapped around Jensen’s cock and stroked lazily, smearing precum, thumb flicking over the head, and just like that, Jensen’s balls drew up hard and he came. He bit his lip to hold back a groan.

He realized that Jared was kissing the bite mark he’d put on Jensen’s shoulder the night before and felt a combination of anger and something he didn’t want to name, something like satisfaction.

They lay there quietly for a while until Jared’s knot shrank enough to slip free. He pressed a wad of tissues between Jensen’s ass cheeks to stem the tide of cum that tried to pour out of his stretched hole.

“Did you go off the suppressants?”

“Yeah,” Jensen said. “Looks like I can’t take them.” Jensen sat up on the side of the bed, but didn’t get up. He leaned forward with his head bowed.

“You still sick?” Jared asked.

“No, just tired.” In truth he was weak and just sitting up made him lightheaded.

“When’s the last time you ate?”

 He shook his head. “Lunch yesterday.”

Jared swung his legs over the edge of the bed so they were sitting side by side. His hand came to rest between Jensen’s shoulder blades. “Why don’t you take a shower, and I’ll find you something to eat.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Jensen said.

Jared got up and headed for the bathroom. “No, I do,” he called over his shoulder. Jensen heard water running and when Jared came back into the bedroom, he pulled his boxer briefs on. “You know, I know I’m an asshole in business, but family is different, and you are my mate, you’re family now. So, you know, I should take care of you.”

Jensen didn’t know whether to cuss Jared out or laugh, but decided he was too drained to do either one. When Jared left the room, he went to take a shower. The hot water seemed to sluice off the past 32 hours of sickness and raging hormones, and when he washed his hole it was clear that the suppressants were wearing off. His hole was fully engorged and sensitive and slick with lubrication or maybe that was just Jared’s cum leaking from him. He resisted the urge to push his fingers inside and get himself off.

When he entered the bedroom in clean boxers and a t-shirt, Jared had just arrived with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast.

“I was on my way to the kitchen,” Jensen said.

Jared shrugged. “I’m already here.” They sat on the bed and Jared handed him the plate. “Anyway, I have a feeling that when you’re done eating you’re going to want to sleep again.”

“Yeah,” Jensen said around bite of eggs. He raised his eyebrows. “Not bad.”

“Thanks, that’s about all you have in the fridge,” Jared said.

“My housekeeper quit.” He bit off some toast with strawberry preserves.

“Why?”

“Apparently, she didn’t want to work for me anymore.”

Jared’s brows drew together. “Why?”

Jensen sighed. “Leave it alone, Jared. It doesn’t matter.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, are you really surprised that a beta wouldn’t want to work for an omega?”

“Are you having trouble at AE?” Jared asked.

“Don’t go there,” Jensen said and set the plate down.

Jared put his hand up like a stop sign. “I’m not going to meddle. I just …”

“There have been a couple who quit, but they were replaceable. I’ve actually been surprised. People have been pretty loyal considering.”

“Considering you’re an omega?”

Jensen chuckled. “Considering I can be difficult to work for. They accept dicky behavior from an alpha, not so much from an omega.”

“Maybe that’s why your cleaning woman quit,” Jared said with a smirk.

Jensen wanted to glare at Jared, but he was overwhelmed by a yawn. Jared picked up the plate and fork. “Go brush your teeth, I’ll clean this up and let myself out.”

“What are you, my mom?” Jensen said grumpily.

“Jeez, you are kind of a dick,” Jared said as he went out the door.

“Fuck you, Jared.” Jensen thought about lying back and falling asleep but made himself get up and head into the bathroom.

~~~

It was after 1 a.m. when Jared pulled his Lexus into the garage next to Dana’s Infinity. He was hoping she was in bed asleep. He felt calm, sated, and satisfied with how things had gone with Jensen. They weren’t friends – they never would be – but at least Jensen hadn’t punched him or even said he hated him this time. He didn’t want to kill this mild buzz he had going by having to talk about Jensen with Dana.

No, such luck, he realized as he stepped from the mudroom. The light was on in his study – the very place he’d been thinking about crashing. She was sitting on the big blue couch that matched the rest of the Cowboys décor that she had thought he’d like when she had the house decorated. She had a magazine on her lap and a highball on the table beside her.

“Hey,” he said on his way to the bar. “You’re up late.”

“I actually woke up, and you weren’t in yet,” she said.

Jared poured himself a glass of bourbon. “Can I refresh your drink?”

“No,” she said. “Have you been at Jensen’s all this time?”

“Yes,” he said. He’d started to sit down but decided to stay on his feet.

She looked down at her lap where she was twisting the magazine into a tight little roll. She had clearly been stewing about this for a while. “It took all this time to service the bitch?”

Jared’s chin came up and his jaw clenched. “That’s none of your business.” He tossed back his drink.

“I think it is.” She tossed down the magazine and came to her feet with her fists clenched. “You’re my husband.”

“And he’s my mate,” he said. “He was sick, and I took care of him. You were the one who said I have a responsibility to him.”

“Your responsibility is to knot him, not be his nurse!” Her neck and face were mottled with color and the tendons stood out in her neck as she shouted at him. It made her look as ugly as her behavior.

“Like it or not, he is a part of our family,” he said. “It isn’t your place to tell me how to treat him or how much time to spend with him.”

“Part of our family?” Her mouth dropped open. “He’s your enemy, remember?”

“That’s in the past,” Jared said. “End of discussion.” Jared turned back to the bar to refill his drink.

“Are you dismissing me?” she asked in disbelief.

“You should get some rest,” he said.

“You are. You think you can treat me like a child?”

“Go to bed, Dana.”

~~~

Jensen smacked his beer down on the bar and groaned as DeMarco fumbled the ball, and it was snatched up by the Bears offense. “Oh come on,” he said. The cameras cut to the talking heads at ESPN, and his mind wandered. They were only in the third quarter, they could still pull the game out of the crapper. That’s exactly where he felt like he was pulling his own life from.

Things weren’t as bad as he’d thought they’d end up. He had to admit that Jared was being decent. He didn’t know yet if he should trust that behavior, but he was taking it for what it was worth. They’d been through three heat cycles, and Jared had done what he could to make it bearable.

He’d sent his own tech over to Jensen’s apartment to make working from home pretty much seamless, and he’d sent a new housekeeper over when he’d found out that Jensen’s had quit. She was a motherly omega who had set about tidying up and making chicken soup. Jensen had felt like Jared was being patronizing, but he was still in heat and didn’t have the energy or inclination to fight at that point. Besides, he was hungry and the apartment was a mess. By the time he felt like himself again, he’d grown to like Martha quite a lot.

He and Jared had gotten beyond communicating through the contract attorney. Jared rarely questioned Jensen’s business decisions, and when he did, he’d learned to call and ask questions. Only once had Jared refused to sign off on a contract, and then it was only because he wanted an additional addendum to it. Jensen knew it wasn’t necessary. He’d been working with the subcontractor for years, but Jared said he’d gotten burned in the past and it was his policy. Instead of getting angry and telling Jared it wasn’t _his_ policy, he’d simply instructed his attorneys to put the language in all new contracts.

He felt a hand on his shoulder then, and Matt slid back onto the stool next to him. Jensen turned to his lover with a smile. Yeah, this was the other thing. Jared had tacitly ignored Matt being in Jensen’s life. They had boundaries that seemed to be working.

“You want another beer?” Jensen asked.

“Nah, I’ve got that term paper I should be working on,” Matt said. He was sitting facing Jensen, knees wide, hand still on Jensen’s shoulder.

“You’re lips say, ‘I have homework,’ but your body language says, ‘let’s go to your place,’” Jensen said with a smirk.

Matt laughed and dropped his hand to his knee. “Yeah, well, I better not listen to my body. Seriously, I have got to get some work done.”

“Yeah, okay.” Jensen wanted to kiss him, but he was trying to be discreet. “I guess I’ll stay and watch the end of this train wreck.”

Matt grinned. “Okay, I’ll see you Friday, for sure, if not sooner.”

Matt’s stool was unoccupied for just moments before Jensen realized someone else slipped onto it. He glanced over and met a questioning blue gaze.

“Chris,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“Yeah, yeah, Tommy and I have been here awhile actually.” He pointed toward the back corner. “But you looked busy.”

Jensen felt his gut flip. He hadn’t told Chris about Matt. “Oh yeah, Matt. He lives in the neighborhood. Nice kid …”

“Stop it,” Chris said. “I’ve known you for 20 years, and I know how you look at a guy you’ve been fucking.”

Jensen glanced away. “Chris …”

“Are you nuts?” Chris lowered his voice. “Cheating on Jared Padalecki?”

“He knows.”

Chris’ eyebrows went up. “He what?”

“He knows about Matt. He’s okay with it. We have an agreement.”

“He is not okay with it, Jensen. Alphas are not okay with their mates screwing other people. Trust me on this.”

“He is.”

“He isn’t.”

Jensen sighed. “We aren’t like you and Tommy.”

Chris scrubbed a hand across his face. “Jensen, you know to be such a smart guy, you are being incredibly obtuse here. He may tell you he’s ‘okay with it.’ He may even think he is, but it is eating him up inside.”

Jensen stared at his friend for a moment and burst out laughing. Chris was fucking with him. That was the only explanation. But Chris didn’t crack a smile, and Jensen stopped laughing. “You’re serious.”

“Yes, thank you for taking me seriously, dude,” Chris said.

“That is ridiculous. Remember how we ended up here? Jared hates me.”

“No, he hated you. Now, you are his mate.” Chris took a drink of beer and scrunched his face. “It’s been what, close to a year? He does stuff for you right?”

“When I’m in heat,” Jensen admitted grudgingly.

“That all? He didn’t get you a new housekeeper and have his techie wire your apartment? Didn’t he almost drive you nuts urging you to have the security at AE reevaluated?”

“Yeah, but …”

“You have every right to hate him, Jensen, but don’t let that blind you to what’s happening. He’s bonded to you. It’s his natural instinct to protect you and to be possessive of you.”

“He doesn’t own me.”

“He’s clearly trying really hard not to act like it, but believe me that isn’t how he feels.”

“Yeah? So if this is so instinctive, why haven’t I bonded to him?”

“What makes you think you haven’t?”

Jensen felt anger boiling in his gut. “Fuck you, Chris.” He started to get up, but his friend grabbed his arm.

“Hey, come on, man, don’t be like that. I’m trying to help you.”

Jensen leaned on the bar and looked up at the TV. Cowboys were down by 14. “Funny way of showing it.”

“Okay, I’m going to say something you really don’t want to hear. Hell, you may never forgive me for it, but I think your hate for him, your distrust and anger – all of that well deserved – is masking the fact that you are bonded to him.”

“Fuck off,” Jensen said. His voice was low, even, with the edge of threat.

Chris sighed. “Okay, I’m an alpha. Maybe you don’t want to hear this from me. Talk to Tom.”

Jensen spun on the stool to face his friend. “What can Tommy tell me? You love him. You’re good to him.”

“When is the last time that Jared wasn’t good to you?”

Jensen couldn’t think of a thing to say. He shook his head.

“You see. That’s what I’m talking about.” Chris drained his beer and stood. “I’m going to go play darts now. Go talk to Tom. Please.”

Chris walked away and Jensen nursed his beer. Quarterback sacked; Cowboys down 21. “Fuck.” Jensen got up and walked to the table in the back corner where Tommy sat alone.

“Hey, Tom,” Jensen said and sat on the empty stool.

“Jensen, man, how are you?” Tom asked. He looked a little uneasy, and Jensen wondered if Chris had warned him that there might be ‘a talk.’

“Well enough, you know, considering.” Jensen winced inwardly at his words. He didn’t want Tom to think that he was putting down omegas in general, but they hadn’t talked about what had happened to him.

“Yeah, I ... well, I can’t imagine actually so, what can I say? Sorry?” Tom pushed the bowl of peanuts across the table toward Jensen. “So, umm, is it true? Are you having an affair?”

“Chris is a big mouth.”

Tom grinned. “Yeah, he tells me everything.”

“That must be nice,” Jensen said, and he meant it. Despite his relationship with Matt, it wasn’t like that. He and Matt weren’t in a long-term relationship, and he didn’t let himself act like they were. He’d never told Matt about Jake, and he didn’t talk about Jared with him.

“Yeah, it is.”

“See that’s just it,” Jensen said. “Chris thinks that I’ve bonded with Jared.”

“You don’t think so.”

Jensen scoffed. “No.”

Tom leaned across the small table. “Let me ask you to do something, okay? Imagine a year ago, before all this happened. How would you have felt about bending over for another guy?”

Jensen glared at Tom. “It wouldn’t have happened. Jared had to drug me.”

“Right? Okay. Now think about how you feel when you’re lying there tied with him.” Tom paused, and Jensen didn’t say anything about the calm and safety and blissed out pleasure of it. “It’s completely different. You don’t have to say so,” Tom said. He looked around the barroom and pointed at a tall, dark haired alpha who was playing darts with Chris. “How about him? Would you bend over for him?”

Jensen’s reaction was immediate and visceral. His pulse quickened, and he recoiled. “No.”

Tom nodded. “That’s bonding, Jensen. You aren’t just an omega; you’re mated. There’s no other male you would allow to touch you the way Jared does. You’re fucking this pretty omega, but you wouldn’t allow him to fuck you even if he could.”

“But that’s just ... sexual.”

“Yeah? Maybe, but it is what it is. I know that what Jared did to you seems unforgivable, but I’ll bet the enmity has died down, hasn’t it? You no longer want to kill him or even beat the shit out of him every time you see him.”

It was true, and it made Jensen feel weak and a little sick. “It feels wrong, Tom.”

“Yeah, I bet it does, but, Jensen, it’s natural, necessary even. How would we have survived if every omega who was ever forcefully taken retained all that hate. It would have destroyed families even if they didn’t murder their alphas.”

“It makes sense, but I can’t accept it, Tommy.” Jensen couldn’t even look at the other omega. He was watching himself peel the label off his bottle.

“This was a lot harder for you because of your age, but it doesn’t mean that you aren’t bonding with him.”

“So,” Jensen paused. “You think I should quit seeing Matt.”

“I think you should consider what it’s doing to your mate,” Tom said.

“Tom, I can’t be celibate for eleven months of the year,” Jensen said.

“So don’t be. He’s your mate.”

“He has a mate, a beta, whom he loves, and I don’t think that she would be inclined to share him with me – even if that’s what I wanted.”

Tom’s mouth twisted into a grin. “That’s not her decision though, is it? Honestly, I’m surprised at you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You have a reputation, Jensen, ruthless, devious, underhanded – what happened to that guy?”

“ _If_ I wanted him ...” Jensen cut himself off. Why was he talking to Tom about this? “But I don’t.”

 

  



	6. Chapter 6

**_[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/00016f8t/) _ **

  


“You can stay.”

Jared paused with one leg in his trousers. “What?”

“You don’t have to go,” Jensen said. He stretched like a big cat and rolled onto his back.

Jared thought for a moment that his mate was joking, but one look at the sleepy green eyes told him he wasn’t. Still, Jared hesitated.

“You’ll just come back in the morning before you go to work anyway,” Jensen said. “You might as well come back to bed and get some sleep.”

Jared knew he shouldn’t, but he’d already dropped his pants on the floor. Dana would be furious if he stayed the night, but it was after midnight, and he was sure she would already be mad. He slid under the covers, and Jensen didn’t turn his back to Jared as he usually did. He slid his arm around Jared’s waist and pressed his face into the curve of his neck. Jared’s arms went around him. He didn’t know what had changed but he didn’t want to ask and risk this moment. It felt peaceful and right, but he knew it was dangerous.

“Jensen.”

“Hmm.”

“Don’t let me oversleep.” Muscle rippled under his hand and there was a puff of air on his neck as Jensen chuckled.

“I won’t.”

Jared was awakened by Jensen’s mouth working along his neck, his jaw, tongue licking into his mouth. Jensen’s cock was hard against his hip leaving a smear of precum on his skin. Jared had fucked plenty of omegas, but there was something about the alpha that was left in Jensen, evidenced by his erection, that turned Jared on, and Jensen’s aggressiveness at that moment spiked Jared’s arousal. Jared’s moan was like a growl, and he sucked on Jensen’s tongue, pulling a moan from him in return. His hand slid down over the curve of Jensen’s ass, fingers slipping into the hot, wet cleft, and Jensen’s hips bucked against him. His mouth left Jared’s with a gasp.

“You ready, Jen?” Jensen writhed in his arms, trying to roll over and present himself. “No, no,” Jared said. He pushed Jensen onto his back and spread his mate’s legs. “I want you like this.” Jared lifted Jensen’s hips and looked down at the flushed, hard cock and swollen, seeping hole. This was his. As far as he knew, Jensen was still seeing the gray-eyed omega, and Jared wanted it to stop. It had to. He looked up the plain of Jensen’s body, all that pale, freckled skin, Jensen looked feverish, his eyes were glazed with need.

He lined up the head of his cock with Jensen’s hole and pushed into the crushing heat. Jensen’s eyes fell shut, and he panted through parted lips. Jared leaned forward and kissed him, and Jensen’s fingers dug into his ribs. Jared kissed him again as he started a series of long, firm thrusts. Tension began to coil in his gut, and he watched the flush creep across Jensen’s chest and up his neck. His mate began to tremble, and he bit his lip but the moan escaped anyway.

“Mine, Jen.”

“Ye, yes,” Jensen gasped as he came.

“Fuck,” Jared groaned as his balls drew up and his seed began to spill. When he moved Jensen’s legs from his shoulders, Jensen wrapped them around Jared’s waist. He dropped his chest onto Jensen’s warm, slick skin as his knot caught inside his mate’s body. This was not a good position to be tied in, but fuck it. He sealed his mouth over Jensen’s and kissed him long and deep.

When the kiss broke, Jared put his head on Jensen’s shoulder. Jensen pressed a kiss to Jared’s temple.

“Mine,” he said.

Jared knew it was true. It was a long time coming, but he couldn’t deny it or fight it. He could still remember lying in bed staring up at the band and sports posters obscured by night shadows in his teenage bedroom.

All he’d wanted was to have the older alpha acknowledge his achievement. Jared had been allowed to play the last 10 minutes of the game, and he’d made a touchdown. No, it hadn’t changed the course of the game, but it was a big deal for a sophomore who’d had no time on the field that season. Instead, Jensen had made a joke.

“Way to go, skinny. Guess you got lucky,” Jensen had said. It seemed stupid now to have been so humiliated by that, but all of Jensen’s friends had laughed. The fact was he’d looked up to Jensen the whole year. He’d gone out for football because of the pretty quarterback. Jensen had been the subject of countless beat off sessions. It had all changed with that one comment.

Jared had made a vow that night in the dark that he would show Jensen he wasn’t just lucky. He’d started a rigorous work-out routine that he had refined over the years. He hadn’t just become muscular and strong, he’d come to tower over Jensen. He’d graduated from college with a 3.8, and become the youngest CEO in Dallas history. He’d proved that he could compete on a level playing field with Jensen, but that wasn’t enough to get a show of respect from Jensen. So, Jared had rigged the game and taken the man down.

And now, at the moment of real triumph when Jensen surrendered and admitted that he belonged to Jared – now that he had truly won – he realized that he too belonged to Jensen. He’d caught himself in his own trap, and he was sure Jensen knew it.

~~~

Jensen was still wearing his dress pants and shirt from work as he opened the door to let Matt in.

“Hey,” Matt said with a smile.

“Hey, come on in,” Jensen said and headed back down the hallway. “I’m sorry I just got in from work.” He was nervous. He knew Matt wasn’t expecting a long-term relationship, but he had no reason to think it was ending so soon either. “You want a beer? I think I still have some Sam Adams in here. I had one a couple days ago, and I swear there were some left.” He opened the refrigerator and got out a couple beers without waiting for an answer. He opened them and found Matt right behind him when he turned.

Matt took the beer and ran his free hand up Jensen’s arm. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

Jensen sucked his lips between his teeth and looked away. He put his hand on the other omega’s hip and looked him in the eye. “I have to stop seeing you.”

Matt’s eyes widened. “Why? I thought Jared was okay with us.”

Jensen stepped away and sank onto a barstool at the counter. “He’s not. I don’t think he ever was, and I’m not okay with him not being okay. Not anymore.”

“Oh.” Matt leaned his elbows on the counter and took a drink. “I thought you hated him.”

Jensen smiled ruefully. “Yeah, well, it’s complicated. He’s changed toward me, and ... it turns out that maybe biology is more powerful than I thought.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, it’s hard to hate someone you’re bonded with, someone you spend hours having sex with, really mind-blowing sex.” Jensen rubbed his temples. “I’m sorry. You know I really like you.”

Matt smiled. “Yeah, I like you too, but we knew this wouldn’t last.”

“Yeah, I know. I just thought you would be the one to break it off.”

“I guess I thought that too,” Matt said. He set down his half-finished beer. “I should go.”

“Yeah, okay,” Jensen said and followed him down the hall to the front door. “Listen, I ... thank you.”

Matt leaned back against the door. “For what?”

“You helped me get through a really rough time, and I’ll miss you.”

“Yeah, I’ll miss you too.” He slipped out the door and went to the elevator.

“Hey, apply at AE when you graduate. I know the owner,” Jensen said. “I bet I could get you job.”

Matt grinned. “I doubt it, man. I hear he’s got a possessive mate.”

Jensen laughed. “Don’t worry. He can handle the guy.”

Matt’s smile faltered. “I hope so. See ya, around Jensen.” He stepped into the elevator, and he was gone.

~~~

Jared had been completely unprepared. It had all happened so fast, he barely had time to think let alone take it all in. One minute he’d been called into a special meeting of the board, and the next security was escorting him from the building.

The board chair had shown him the AE contract with Massey Trucking that cut PADA out of the deal for the new connector road to the interstate. He had to admit that he knew about a contract with Massey, and that he’d signed off on it. But the contract he’d signed only gave Massey a contract to haul away shale from the excavation. He was sure of that. Wasn’t he? Jensen had told him that was what the contract was for, and the contract attorney had approved it. Jared had to admit to himself that he hadn’t read the contract.

It wouldn’t matter to the board whether he was conspiring to line his own pockets via his mate’s company or simply incompetent. His hands were shaking as he started the Lexus LFA and headed downtown to the Ackles Building.

He couldn’t believe how he’d allowed Jensen to play him. He had really believed that things had changed, maybe even that Jensen had forgiven him, but it was clear that Jensen had just been setting him up for payback. That hurt more than he wanted to admit.

He cussed at the white-haired driver of a Lincoln Towncar who thought parallel parking should be a spectator sport, and gunned the engine when he got a chance to pull into the oncoming lane.

He realized that what with the way he’d taken Jensen down, he didn’t deserve to have what he’d always wanted, but he had begun to think he was getting it anyway. Now he knew better. He’d alienated Dana over the past couple of months because of Jensen. He was on the verge of losing her too. When she found out how stupid he’d been, she’d probably walk. He couldn’t blame her.

Suddenly, the taxi in front of him stopped. Jared hit the brakes, glanced in the mirror and saw the right lane clear. He shoved the gear shift forward and hit the accelerator with a satisfying squeal of tires as he swerved into the right lane. He didn’t see the red light until he heard the blare of a horn.

~~~

Jensen had been alerted to the accident by Katie who’d seen it on her way back from lunch. She knew Jared’s car, and she was shaking and crying when she’d told him. Katie wasn’t the hysterical type; so Jensen knew it was serious. He’d rushed to the emergency room only to be confronted with an enraged Dana.

She’d been sitting in the waiting room with her sister, Andrea, and the moment he approached she jumped to her feet. Her tiny hand made contact with his cheek with a loud snap.

“You son of a bitch,” she screamed. “You did this. It’s because of you.”

Jensen stepped back in surprise. “What are you …”

“You know what you’ve done,” she shouted. “You dirty snake.”

He backed up again as she tried to grab him. Her sister had a hold of one of her arms and a stocky nurse the other. They were saying all kinds of calming nonsense to her.

“No, no,” she turned to Andrea. “You don’t know what kind of person he is. He’s tried to destroy Jared for years.”

“Dana, that’s changed,” he said.

She launched herself at him again. “If he dies, it’s on your head,” she screamed.

The nurse jerked on her arm firmly. “Ma’am, I need you to calm down now,” she said.

An Asian nurse walked up with a cup of water and a pill. “Here get her to take this,” she said.

“No,” Dana protested.

“Dee, honey, come on, take it,” Andrea said. “You need to be strong for Jared. He can deal with Jensen when he wakes up.”

“What if he doesn’t? Oh God, Andi, what if he doesn’t?” she went almost limp as she fell apart.

Andrea helped her sit down and got her to take the pill. Satisfied that Dana was no longer going to disrupt her ER, the stocky nurse approached Jensen.

“Are you a family member?”

Jensen nodded. “Yes, he’s my alpha.”

The nurse’s eyes went soft and she laid a hand on his arm. “Oh, I’m sorry, honey. Betas can be so dramatic. Come on over here around the corner where she won’t see you,” she said. She showed him to another grouping of seats and pointed down the hall. “There’s some machines down there if you want coffee or a soda.”

“I just, can you tell me anything about Jared’s condition?”

She pursed her lips. “He’s alive, but it’s serious. He has chest and head trauma. They’ll be taking him up to surgery soon.” She smiled a little then. “You might as well go up, sixth floor, west. Tell Cathy that Marjorie sent you. She’ll take good care of you.”

She had. Jensen had spent hours in the waiting room. He’d found out that Jared had come through surgery well, before the rest of Jared’s family had arrived, and it was his brother Andrew who had finally run Jensen out of the hospital. He said that everyone knew how he’d ambushed Jared and cost him his job, and that Jensen was responsible for Jared’s accident.

Jensen didn’t know how to respond and simply walked away. He was exhausted and confused and bereft. As he walked out the ER doors, he couldn’t remember where he’d left his car. He stood there on the sidewalk in the harsh glow of a mercury vapor light looking out over the sea of vehicles.

“Mr. Ackles?” someone said. “Umm, Jensen?”

“Chad,” Jensen said. The kid’s blond hair stood on end and his eyes were puffy and red.

“Is he … How is he?” the PA asked.

“He’s in a medically induced coma, but they think he’ll live. They got the swelling in his brain down … so they’re hoping there’s no permanent damage.”

The kid sobbed. “Oh thank God. I would have been here sooner, but the board and security had me there for hours just drilling me and … I’m so sorry. I told them you wouldn’t do that.”

“Do what? What the hell is going on Chad?”

“You don’t know,” he said. Suddenly, he seemed to calm. He looked around. “We need to talk.”

“Okay,” Jensen said. “Can you give me a ride home? I can’t remember where I left my car.”

Chad took Jensen by the elbow and led him across the parking lot to his Camry.

“Jared got called into an unscheduled meeting with the board this morning,” Chad said as he steered out of the parking lot.

“That’s never good,” Jensen said.

“No,” Chad agreed. “They confronted him with a contract between AE and Massey Trucking.”

“So? There’s nothing wrong with that contract,” Jensen said.

Relief was evident in Chad’s expression. “I thought you’d say that, but the contract they had showed PADA getting cut out of the deal.”

“What? That’s not the contract I sent over.” Jensen sat up straighter as adrenaline flooded his system.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” Chad said as he pulled into the underground parking at Jensen’s high rise. They were quiet on the way up in the elevator, and Chad followed Jensen into the living room with open interest. He walked to the windows and smiled. “Same view as Jared’s office.”

“Yeah,” Jensen said. His eyes burned, and he felt like sitting down and just crying. He swallowed the lump in his throat. “So …”

“I never really thought you were behind it,” Chad said. “After all that interrogation, they fired me anyway.”

Jensen nodded. “Go to HR at AE tomorrow. I’m sure we can find something for you.”

“I’m not here to ask you for a job, but thanks,” the blond said. “Before they fired me and escorted me from the building, I … Well, they left me alone for a few minutes in the conference room, and I snagged this from the chairperson’s folder.” He reached into his shirt and pulled out a packet of papers.

“Is that what I think it is?”

Chad nodded and grinned. “It’s the contract.”

“Chad, you do realize you could go to jail for stealing that.”

“You and Jared are two of the most powerful people in the city. I figure once you get this all straightened out, you’ll save me?”

Jensen nodded. “I’ll do what I can. Now let me see that.”

“Yeah, but I want to show you something.” He pointed out the stapled corner on the front of the document and then turned the contract over. The stapled corner showed two additional staple holes.

“It’s been detached.”

“Right? The signature page was removed from the original contract and stapled to this phony after the contract attorney approved it,” Chad said.

“Which means it happened at PADA,” Jensen said. “But who there would want to take Jared down? Why?”

“A few people, but you haven’t asked the other question,” Chad said with a little smile.

“Which is?”

“Who had opportunity?”

“Well, you are his PA.”

“No, not me.” Chad rolled his eyes. “But you are on to something. I know that the contract was delivered to my hand from the contract attorney. I put it on Jared’s desk.”

“So it was someone who had access to his office when he wasn’t in.”

“Exactly,” Chad said and slapped his hand down on the contract. “That’s exactly right, and do you know who was in his office alone the afternoon I put the contract in there?”

Jensen cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Mrs. Padalecki.”

“Dana?” All Jensen could think of was the hysterical woman who blamed him for nearly killing her husband. “No, Chad, why would Dana want to get Jared fired.”

Chad huffed and rolled his eyes again. “That was just the necessary fallout. The goal was drive a wedge between you and Jared.”

Jensen felt like there was a boulder in his stomach, and he shook his head.

“You don’t know the kind of arguments they’ve been having,” Chad said. “Things have been really tense. I heard her say just a few weeks ago that he needed to get his head out of his ass and remember that you couldn’t be trusted.”

“Jesus.” Jensen got up and poured two glasses of bourbon. He handed one to Chad as he sat down on the couch.

Chad took a small sip and grimaced. He set the glass down on the coffee table.

“I can’t believe she would do that. She loves him,” Jensen said.

“People do crazy stuff when they think they’re losing someone they love,” Chad said. “I saw this movie on Lifetime …” He stopped when Jensen looked up at him. “Anyway, I wouldn’t be too sure. She had really been pushing him like she thought he could choose between the two you, which is ridiculous, but  … I’ve worked for him a long time, and it just wasn’t the same between them anymore. I guess she got desperate.”

“Yeah, maybe. Can I keep that?” Jensen pointed at the contract lying on the coffee table.

“Sure, are you going to show it to Jared?”

“Yeah,” Jensen said. “No. You will.”

~~~

 _I know what you did,_ Jensen typed into his phone and hit ‘send.’

He laid the phone on his desk and leaned back in his office chair. He tapped a pen against the arm of the chair as he waited. A few moments later his phone dinged, and he released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. It was a message from Dana _: I don’t know what you’re talking about._

 _I have the contract_ , he typed.

 _Thief. You’ll go to jail,_ she answered.

_That won’t save your marriage._

There was a long pause.

 _Let’s talk_.

Twenty minutes later, Jensen parked his Jaguar behind the shuttered paper mill and got out. He was ten minutes early, but he wanted to be there first. He crossed the 15 or so feet to the concrete wall that bordered an industrial drainage ditch. It was a bleak view of sludgy, polluted water that crawled down the narrow channel and abandoned excavating equipment, closed factories, and barren earth beyond. He faced the back of the paper mill and leaned on the wall.

It had been a week since Jared’s accident, and they’d brought him out the coma the day before. Chad had kept his communications with Jensen to himself, and the family had been giving him regular reports. Jensen had just gone to bed when Chad called with the news. All indications showed that once the drugs wore off, Jared had no mental impairment. Jensen was surprised by just how relieved he was at the news. Tension that he hadn’t even realized he was holding deep in his muscles melted away.

He had thumbed his phone off after getting the news from Chad, and when he stretched to lay it on the table, he smelled Jared on his pillow. His breath caught in his chest and he’d begun to weep. It didn’t make sense, and it frightened him because he couldn’t stop. He clutched the pillow to his chest and curled into a ball. He tried to rationalize what was happening. He tried to explain it away. But what he knew was he had to see Jared. He had to touch him to be sure.

Jensen looked up as Dana’s Infiniti pulled up between him and the Jaguar as he’d planned. Her face scrunched in distaste as she got out of the car and she stepped gingerly over filmy puddles in the broken asphalt.

“Nice place to meet,” she said.

“It’s private,” he said and half-turned toward the drainage ditch with one hand on the waist-high wall.

She walked within a couple feet of him. “Where is it?” she asked.

He didn’t answer. He just looked her up and down – from her Manolo Blahnik shoes to her Cartier necklace. She’d risked it all.

“You must have really been frightened,” he said.

Her chin came up defensively. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“He’s the love of your life. All yours until I came along. I didn’t even want him, but you saw him slipping away.”

“Shut up,” she said. “You don’t know anything. What I saw was you waiting to get even. I had to take you out before you got the chance.”

Jensen smiled and paced away from the wall with his eyes down. She pivoted in place as he passed. He was between her and the cars then.

“Right,” he said. “So you did to him what you feared I would do in order to protect him. You think that it’s better that you did it? You took his career. You humiliated him.”

“No, you did,” she said. “You’re like all the other filthy bitches dragging alphas around by their knots.”

Jensen felt the first flush of anger, but pushed it down. “I am what he made me, and he is the alpha. It isn’t for me or you to make the decisions about his behavior.”

“He’s too good. He should have put you in your place a long time ago,” she said.

“Oh he put me in my place all right, and he likes it way too much for you.” He leaned against the side of her car.

“Shut the hell up,” she said. “You said you wanted to make a deal. Where’s the contract?”

Jensen smiled, and it was his shark smile. It was the smile that used to infuriate Jared when he lost a contract to AE. “Oh that. Chad has it. He’s showing it to Jared as we speak.”

Her face fell. “No, you’re lying. Chad’s loyal.”

Jensen nodded. “To Jared, and you know, he is an omega. He kind of looks up to me.”

“You son of a bitch,” she said and took a step forward and then hesitated. “Get away from my car.”

“Sure,” Jensen said. He casually pushed himself away from the car and pulled a five-inch awl from his pocket. Dana’s eyes widened and she took a step back. Jensen smirked. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He bent and jabbed the tool through the sidewall of the front tire. He wiggled it a bit and pulled it out, listening for the hiss of air. “Looks like you hit some road debris out here, but I’m sure you’ve got Triple-A on speed dial.”

He walked around her car, and opened the door of his Jaguar. “I’m going to the hospital now. To see my mate,” he said.

“You haven’t won,” she yelled. “I’m pregnant. I’m going to give him a child.”

Jensen stopped with his hand on the open door. He grabbed the edge of the roof with the other. “Jesus,” he said. “That just sounds desperate.”

“It’s true.”

“Don’t you think that would have been enough?” He knew Jared well enough to know that she could have easily drawn him back by giving him a child. How could she not know that?

“He had to see what you are.”

He shook his head. “Have you told him?” Her mouth dropped open. He saw the panic in her eyes, and he smiled.

“Don’t you dare,” she yelled as he slid into the seat of the sports car.

The engine growled as he started it. He pulled out his phone and checked for a signal before putting the window down. “I’ve got four bars. Shall I call a tow-truck for you?”

“Go to hell, Jensen,” she screamed. “Go fuck yourself.

As he drove away he saw her fumbling with her phone. He knew she wasn’t calling Triple-A. She was calling the hospital. She was trying to get through to Jared to feed him some new line of bullshit, but Chad had made sure the phone on Jared’s bed would be disabled.

If Dana was pregnant – and he wondered – that would change things. Still, she hadn’t told Jared, and now she wouldn’t get the chance. Jensen still had the upper hand.

He pushed the car into sixth gear before the Jaguar reached the end of the entrance ramp to the interstate and wondered when his life had turned into one of Chad’s Lifetime movies.

 

  



	7. Chapter 7

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/0001796h/)

  


Jared couldn’t believe he was crying in front of his PA, well, former PA, but still, Jared didn’t cry in front of anyone. He didn’t cry. It wasn’t much, just a couple of tears before he pulled himself together with a sniff.

“I’m really sorry, Mr. Padalecki,” Chad said and held out a tissue.

“Yeah, me too,” Jared said. Chad turned away to pour a glass of water from the beige plastic pitcher, and Jared quickly wiped his eyes. Chad handed him the glass and Jared took a sip. “I really fucked things up.”

Chad frowned. “She’s the one who betrayed you.”

“She and I had a deal, Chad – no other relationships.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, what happened with Jensen … it was …” He shook his head. “I’m not the guy you think, Chad. I’m an asshole. Jensen and I didn’t have an agreement. It was a business take-down pure and simple. I had no intention of mating him.” Or maybe he had. He’d wanted Jensen all those years ago, and maybe the animosity had covered that up. Was it possible that his subconscious had taken exactly what he’d wanted when the opportunity was there? He rubbed his eyes. “Or maybe I did.”

“I don’t understand,” Chad said.

Jared smiled ruefully. “I had a crush on Jensen in high school …”

Chad’s eyes went wide. “That’s just like this movie I saw …” His jaw snapped shut.

“Don’t tell me, on Lifetime, right?” Jared shook his head. “So tell me how this movie ends.”

Jared looked up as the door swung open, and he completely forgot what he’d just said to Chad. Jensen stopped in the doorway, one hand still on the handle. The look on his face made Jared’s stomach clench.

“I, umm.” Chad jumped up. “I should go. I …” The blond turned and rushed from the room giving Jensen a nod as he passed. Jensen eased the door shut behind him, but didn’t approach the bed.

“I was wrong,” Jared said. “It wasn’t you. I’m sorry.”

The look on Jensen’s face didn’t change. “You only hurt yourself this time.”

Jared looked down at his battered body. “Yeah, I guess, but …”

“You had no reason to trust me after all the shit we’ve done to each other.” Jensen was leaning back against the door with that unreadable look on his face. Jared just wanted the tension to break, for Jensen to move and take away the distance between them. If he could have gotten out of bed and done it himself, he would have. His hand lifted off the bed.

“What is it?” Jared asked.

Jensen looked away and sucked his lips between his teeth for a moment. When he looked back at Jared, there was only regret in his eyes. “I talked to Dana before I came over. She told me she’s pregnant.”

“No,” Jared said. The words felt like a twist of the knife. “No, that’s … no.”

“Is it possible?”

Jared felt his eyes sting with tears again. “Yeah, I mean have I had sex with her? Yeah.” His head fell back against the pillows, and he closed his eyes. “Fuck.” This was too much – losing his job, the accident and pain, and the betrayal. He had thought it couldn’t get any worse, that he could pick up the pieces, but now it all lay before him shattered, too many jagged little pieces of his career and his marriage to  mend. It was all his doing.

The edge of the bed dipped under Jensen’s weight. “We don’t know that it’s true,” Jensen said.

Jared let his hands drop to the bed and looked at his mate. “Do you think she was lying?”

Jensen shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe it was a last desperate maneuver to get me to back off, but she seemed to regret saying it when she realized I’d get to you first.”

“How’d you manage that?”

Jensen shrugged. “I’m a filthy snake – I believe those were her words.”

Jared felt a flare of anger that he couldn’t explain. “Tell me you didn’t hurt her.”

“She’s fine.” Jensen got up from the bed and walked to the window. “You still love her.”

“I still can’t believe she betrayed me that way. I know it’s insane, but I could have accepted it from you. I’d have raged and screamed. Hell, I might have given you a black eye, but I would have …”

“You would have what?” Jensen turned from the window.

“I would have forgiven you because I deserve it after what I did to you.”

“And you can’t forgive her?”

“I don’t know.” Jared shook his head. “You don’t know how I loved her, how much this hurts.”

“No, I guess not.” Jensen sat in the chair next to the bed. “Where does this leave us?”

“Us? I guess it leaves us where we were before.”

“Jared, PADA is suing us, you know – you, me, AE – we aren’t where we were before.”

Jared did know vaguely of the lawsuit. Dana and Andrew had both mentioned it, but they’d assured him that the attorneys were looking into it and most of the blame would be put on Jensen. He’d been on painkillers since he’d awakened and everything was kind of blurry.

“Hey, this was your idea, remember?” Jared said. He felt very tired all of a sudden. His injured body was telling him that this stress wasn’t tolerable. It was time to rest. “This was your back up plan. You’re the one that’s supposed to think of the fallout.”

Jensen smiled and scoffed. “I have. I’m taking care of it, but you and me, we have to stick together on this. We are AE now, and we have to show a united front.”

Jared thought for a moment and shook his head. “No, you’re AE, and I’m your mate. I’ll back you 100 percent, but if I step into AE right now, it will look like we planned it this way.” Jensen’s lip twitched. “You already thought of that, didn’t you?” Jared asked. “You didn’t mean I should be visible at AE.”

“No,” Jensen said. “I mean that you need to listen to the AE attorneys.”

“And you.”

Jensen smiled and nodded. “Yes, and me. Do you think you can do that?”

Jared’s throat tightened, and he let out a breath. “Honestly, the way I feel right now, the last thing I want is to make a decision or talk to the press or … I’m just so fucking tired, Jen.” It wasn’t until that moment when Jensen’s thumb began to rub the back of his hand that he realized his mate had been holding it.

“Okay,” Jensen said quietly. “I’ll take care of things. Why don’t you get some sleep.” He started to rise, and Jared tightened his grip on Jensen’s hand.

“Do you have to … Could you stay for a while?”

“Sure.” Jensen sat back down on the bed just as the door opened, and Andrew walked in.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked Jensen and then turned on his brother. “Why are you even talking to him?” His fists were clenched at his sides, and his face was growing red.

“Andrew, it’s okay. It wasn’t Jensen,” Jared said. This was the last thing he needed to deal with.

“Oh for God’s sake, Jay. You believe that? He’d tell you anything,” the tall man raged. “I mean really the guy has you by the knot …”

Suddenly, Jensen was on his feet. “Back off,” he growled. “I’m not the one bullying him here.”

“Hey!” Jared said to get their attention. “Chad’s the one who brought me the contract. It wasn’t Jensen. It was Dana.”

“Dana … why? Oh.” Andrew glared at Jensen and then looked away. “Jesus, what a mess.” The fight seemed to go out of Andrew.

Jared took a deep breath. “Look, Andrew, I need to know that you’re on my side. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Dana and I, but I need to know that you aren’t working against Jensen. His interests and mine are the same now, and I need the whole family to back me, to back us.”

Andrew eyed Jensen for a moment. “I don’t know how you expect me …”

“Andrew, he isn’t the villain in this. I am. I fucked up. Please, just tell me you’ll back us up.”

“Yeah,” Andrew said. “Yeah, of course, but, Jay …”

Jared couldn’t even listen anymore. He laid his head back and closed his eyes.

“You should go,” he heard Jensen say. “He’s beat.”

“Maybe …”

“It’s okay. I’ll stay with him.”

There was a pause in which Jared could almost see the way his brother was staring at Jensen, but he didn’t open his eyes. Finally, Andrew said, “Yeah, okay.”

Jared felt himself sinking, the voices retreating, darkness overtaking him. There were warm fingers on his cheek. “Get some rest. I’ll take care of things.”

~~~

“Where are we going?” Jared asked. He was seated across from Jensen in a limousine. He was finally getting out of the hospital, and he felt like he’d just been kidnapped when he realized they weren’t going in the direction of the house. They hadn’t talked about it. He’d just assumed that Jensen was taking him home.

“We’re going ...” Jensen paused and licked his lips. “We’re going to the apartment.”

“Why?” Jared felt an unreasonable flare of anger. “Why would I go to your apartment? I don’t live with you.”

Jensen’s lips parted as though he was about to say something, but he just stared at Jared. For some reason, that just made Jared angrier. Maybe it was his brain. The doctors said that the closed head injury could cause him to have mood swings or anger issues at least for a while.

“Just take me home,” he said.

“Jared …”

“You’re not my nurse or my mom or my fucking wife,” Jared shouted. “Just take me the fuck home, Jensen.”

Jensen’s jaw clenched and he drew in a deep breath. There was ice in his eyes when he pressed the intercom button to the front of the car and told the driver to go to Jared’s house.

Jared leaned his head back and took shallow breaths. It had been a little over a week since they’d awakened him in the hospital. He was leaving with a cast on his arm, his ribs taped up, and a concussion. He was lucky, he supposed, that he didn’t have serious brain damage or more severe internal injuries. As it was, they’d removed his torn spleen and repaired the collapsed lung.  Still, if he moved around too much or shouted like he had, it made his chest ache. If Jensen noticed he was in pain, he didn’t let it show.

“Look …” Jared said. Jensen shot him a look that made his jaw snap shut. He wondered if the two of them could ever be more than enemies under a truce. Jensen had been at the hospital every day for the past week, sometimes for hours. He’d kept Jared filled in what was happening with the lawsuit, he’d run interference with Jared’s friends and family, but for Jensen to assume that he’d go to the apartment was just presumptuous. He’d leaned too much on Jensen for the past week. He’d given too much free rein to both his beta and his omega, and it was time to quit coddling them.

He hadn’t seen or talked to Dana since her confrontation with Jensen. He’d tried calling her, but her number was no longer in service. He hadn’t mentioned it to Jensen, but Chad thought she was just messing with him, trying to make him worry, and that was a reasonable assumption. Still, he hated the idea of his pregnant beta, capable and tough as she may be, out there without his protection. He wanted to get home and see that she was okay.

When the car pulled up in front of the house, Jared didn’t wait for help in getting out. By the time he’d unfolded himself from the seat, he had to lean a hand on the roof of the vehicle for support. Jensen stood watching him but didn’t offer a hand.

“I’ll get your bag,” he said.

Jared didn’t argue. He didn’t want Jensen’s help, but he realized that even the weight of the small bag was too much. He headed to the front door and let himself in. The house was dark and quiet. It felt like it wasn’t lived in. He walked through looking in the living room, dining room, study. There was no sign that anyone had been there. When he got to the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator door. There was nothing but ketchup and mustard. He let the door fall shut. There was nothing in the nearby wine cooler either. Jensen was standing at the counter where he’d set the overnight bag.

“She isn’t here, is she?” Jared asked. Jensen didn’t say anything. He just shook his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jensen pursed his lips. “I thought I could just get you back to the apartment, and we could talk about all this. I thought …”

“What? That you could protect me? That isn’t your job. I’m not a child. I’m not …”

“What? The bitch? Yeah, I get that, but you are my mate. You were injured. I was just trying to help you through this until you had your strength back. You say I’m a part of your family, but that isn’t how you act. You treat me like an outsider, like an enemy, and _you_ have no right to do that.”

“I know that …”

“And do you know what makes it worse? That you have all this concern for this woman who ruined you, who humiliated you, and why? Because you still love her? Or because you think she’s going to have your child? You don’t even know that.”

“What do you mean by that?” Jared asked. He took a step toward Jensen.

“Nothing.”

“No, what the fuck do you mean?”

“You don’t know she’s pregnant, do you?”

“Do you know she isn’t?” His hand was on Jensen’s arm.

“No, I don’t.”

“What do you know?”

“She’s staying at the Hilton downtown, and she hasn’t been to an OB/GYN.”

“You’ve had someone watching her.” Jared wasn’t surprised. He should have assumed it. He and Jensen weren’t that much different. “I’ll want to talk to your P.I. and get all the information he’s gathered.”

Jensen shrugged in an infuriating way. “Sure.”

Jared ran a hand through his hair. “Look …” He knew what the problem was. His life was out of control. He felt out of control. That wasn’t Jensen’s fault. He knew that, but he found Jensen’s appearance of complete nonchalance annoying as hell.

“You think I don’t know how you feel?” Jensen said. “How do you think I felt when you made me your bitch?” He sounded so calm and in control, but what Jared saw in the other man’s eyes reflected so much of what he was feeling – rage and pain and confusion.

“Doesn’t it make you feel better?” Jared asked.

Jensen scoffed. “No. Ironic isn’t it? I should be enjoying how what you did to me has soured everything in your life, but I’m not. Instead, I’m just worried and angry. Like it or not, you’re the alpha here. You’re the one who is supposed to be in control, fixing things, but you’re injured and over-emotional and, I don’t know, fucked up.” Jensen paced across the room. “So maybe my alpha instincts have tried to assert themselves and take care of you and this fucked up situation. You let me when you were in the hospital.” He turned and leaned back against the wall. “I guess, I’m supposed to step back now and let you take over.”

Jared didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t really argue with what Jensen was saying. “Can you do that?” he asked. Jensen just looked away. “What we need …” He was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. They just looked at each other a moment, and Jared headed down the hallway and swung the door open. On the stoop was a greasy looking man in a bad suit.

“Mr. Padalecki?”

“Yes.”

A brown envelope was thrust into his hands. “You’ve been served,” the man said and walked away.

“What is it?” Jensen asked as the door swung shut.

Jared fumbled with the clasp on the envelope and tore it open. He could picture the light in her eyes and the white lace against her dark hair, the way she smiled up at him and the feel of her soft lips against his.

“Divorce papers,” he said.

~~~

Jensen didn’t pay attention to the first signs of his heat coming on – the difficulty in sleeping, the restlessness and ache – he put some of it down to stress and too much caffeine. He just kept pushing to keep things running at AE, working on the PADA lawsuit, and bringing Jared up to speed with both of those. There was also the issue of cohabitating with Jared at the apartment. It had seemed like a good idea when Jared was recovering at the hospital. Maybe it was the omega trying to assert itself in Jensen that made him think he should take care of Jared, but now that his mate had been living with him a few weeks, he questioned the wisdom of it.

Jared was used to living with someone who accommodated him. However, assertive and badass Dana had been as a business woman, she clearly was a caretaker with her husband. Jensen had spent most of his adulthood living alone. He wasn’t used to having someone else underfoot – or their dirty underwear on the bathroom floor, their empty glasses left on various tables, or their noise. He couldn’t explain why the sound of the television or game console from the other room annoyed him so much – or even the sound of Jared’s voice on the phone – but it was just getting worse as the days wore on.

He wasn’t sure what to do, but he knew that it was all going to come to a head at some point. When Jared realized Dana intended to divorce him, he’d made a complete 180 and moved into the apartment. Jensen wasn’t sure how much of that decision was show and how much was out of pain, but there he was. He had gone to the Hilton and confronted Dana, but he hadn’t wanted to talk about it. All he’d say was that Dana had said she was lying when she told Jensen she was pregnant, and Jensen wasn’t about to disabuse him of the notion.

They’d been so involved in trying to get their lives back on track and fit them together in some semi-peaceful way that he hadn’t realized that his heat was imminent until he awoke with Jared plastered to his back, kissing and licking his neck. Jensen’s skin felt hot and prickly. His crack was wet with the juices leaking from his hole, and he instinctively shoved his ass back against Jared’s hard cock. Jared literally growled in his ear. He reached down with one hand and dragged Jensen’s shorts down off the curve of his ass and shoved into him.

Jensen cried out with the pleasure of it. His channel was so swollen, so sensitive. He moaned and gripped the arm holding him. He wanted more, pushed his ass back onto Jared’s cock and whined. His own dick was achingly hard and drooling.

“Fuck,” Jared said. “Holy fuck.” He pounded into Jensen over and over, and the swollen tissue of his channel continued to swell, tightened more around Jared’s cock until his knot began to form. It was pressed hard against his prostate, and as Jared rocked shallowly inside him, his balls drew up hard. The orgasm hit him like a freight train. He came untouched. He hated this, the way he came on Jared’s knot. The orgasms seemed to become more intense as though he became Jared’s bitch more thoroughly with each heat.

As he lay there, spent and sated, with the liquid warmth of Jared’s seed pulsing into him, he realized how long they’d been mates – over a year. Panic crept in with the knowledge that the birth control implant was probably no longer affective, and it was too late now with the heat already upon him. He wondered what the chances were of getting through this cycle without conceiving.

Maybe this was fate, maybe it was inevitable. There was still debate amongst biologists as to whether pregnancy was a biological imperative for omegas. He wondered if it was possible that his brain had intentionally distracted him with issues at work and the lawsuit and being annoyed with Jared so he’d forget that he needed to go to the doctor or whether it was just his latent alpha focus that caused this. Whatever it was, he wanted to keep thinking because what he was feeling was too damn disturbing. It was a deep satisfaction with each pulse of seed into him. This alpha belonged to him. He would bind Jared to him forever.

~~~

Jensen had been behaving oddly ever since his heat began. Usually during heats he would be frantic with lust. Their coupling would be urgent and rough, and then Jensen would push him away until he couldn’t hold off anymore. There’d always been an underlying resentment that Jensen needed him. This time had been entirely different. He’d hardly let Jared out of bed.

When they weren’t fucking or tied, Jensen would kiss him and rub against him as though marking him with his scent. Maybe, he was. Jensen seemed less anxious to shower and wash Jared’s scent from his body as he had in the past. Jared put it down to them living together now. Perhaps they were slowly becoming mates in the real sense instead of just out of necessity.

Losing Dana still hurt. Despite what she’d done to him, he’d had momentary hope in her pregnancy, that somehow it would bring them back together. It had hurt more than he could say that the pregnancy wasn’t real and she’d demanded a divorce. He’d never be a father. He had to come to terms with that, unless he found another beta or took another omega, and he couldn’t imagine complicating things any more than they already were. He’d failed so miserably with Dana. He hadn’t kept his promise of fidelity, and his relationship with Jensen was such a minefield.

In a lot of ways, they were too much alike. Jensen might be an omega but there was still a lot of alpha there. He was the epitome of still waters. Jared frequently caught glances from Jensen that he knew had something behind them – anger or resentment or just irritation – but Jensen wouldn’t talk. Even if Jared pursued it, Jensen would turn his back and walk away. He was communicative enough at work, but at home, he was impossible, and Jared had just been letting it go.

In the past couple of weeks, Jensen had gone from quiet and brooding to morose, and Jared was becoming not just angry but concerned. There was something just not right with his mate, but he couldn’t get him to talk about it. Hell, they were rarely in the same room together. At work, Jensen would call from his office instead of walking across the hall to Jared’s, and at home, they’d gone back to sleeping in separate beds since Jensen’s heat had ended.  When they got home from work they’d sit down at the table and eat whatever the housekeeper had left for dinner, and then go their separate ways.

Jared was finding it difficult to focus on a TV program or play a video game or read a book. He found himself wondering what Jensen was doing in the other room and what was eating him, and that’s what made him follow Jensen into the kitchen when he heard him stir from his room. Jensen was standing at the counter eating cold mei fun noodles out of the carry-out container, and Jared came up behind him and laid his hand on Jensen’s shoulder. His mate shrugged him off.

“Don’t touch me,” he said and faced Jared.

“What?” Anger pooled in Jared’s gut. “Don’t touch you? Let me remind you that I’m your alpha.” He didn’t know where his reaction was coming from, but he suddenly felt the urge show Jensen that he was still the alpha, still the dominant partner.

Jensen’s chin came up and his eyes narrowed. “You don’t own me.”

“Like hell,” Jared growled. “If I tell you to bend over, you do it – heat or not.” He shoved himself into Jensen’s space and backed him against the counter. His hand went around the back of Jensen’s neck, pulled him in, and he crushed his mouth against Jensen’s lips. The other hand slid around Jensen’s waist, up under his t-shirt and across the silky skin of his lower back. This was right and natural. Jensen’s lips parted and let him in with a low moan. Jared pressed his thigh between Jensen’s legs and felt his mate’s cock go hard against him.

With the exception of the first time, they’d never had sex when Jensen wasn’t in heat, and the very idea sent a thrill and a wave of arousal through Jared. He pulled Jensen away from the counter and yanked his sweats off his hips. He took Jensen’s hard, feverish cock in his hand and smeared precum over the head, stroked it. Jensen’s fingers dug into his ribs, and he sucked on Jared’s tongue. Jared’ s cock was hard against the seam of his jeans. He broke the kiss and turned Jensen around and bent him over the counter. As Jared undid his fly, Jensen kicked his sweats off, and Jared thrust into his hot, wet hole.

“Yeah,” Jensen panted. His forehead fell against the upper cabinet with a thunk, and he tipped his hips back. Jared thrust in fast and hard. He reached around and stroked Jensen’s dick. It was like steel and slick with precum, seemed to throb just as Jared’s was inside him. Jensen felt like molten silk around his cock, and he pushed back against Jared’s thrusts.

“Please, please, please,” Jensen moaned, and Jared felt high on the power of his mate’s submission. He owned this beautiful man. _His._

With just a few more strokes, Jensen’s cock pulsed in Jared’s hand and Jensen came with a cry just as Jared’s knot caught inside him. They slid to the floor on their knees, and Jared pulled Jensen back onto his lap and leaned on the cabinet. This was going to be uncomfortable.

Jensen was breathing heavy, an almost dead weight in his arms. That’s when Jared became conscious of Jensen’s heavy, ripe scent and his hand on the swell of Jensen’s belly – not a soft swell of fat, but firm and round. His balls clenched and spurted seed deep inside his mate’s body. He wasn’t sure which was stronger the urge to protect or the thrill of possession. He set his teeth to the muscle of Jensen’s shoulder and bit down just enough to break the skin. Jensen whined and arched back against him. Jared licked over the wound, kissed it, and nuzzled his mate’s neck. Something deeply primal in him was satisfied for perhaps the first time in his life.

He felt the heavy weight of responsibility for the life in his arms, and it was good.

 


	8. Chapter 8

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/000188t4/)

  


Jared knew. There was no doubt by the way his hand rested on Jensen’s swollen belly that he’d figured it out. His teeth sank into Jensen’s shoulder, and Jensen heard his own whine as if from a distance. His body curled inward even as more seed pulsed inside him, pushed its way greedily into his body. He felt dread at what he was becoming, just how much of himself he was losing.

Jared licked over the bite mark and kissed his neck, and Jensen went lax in his arms. He didn’t have any fight in him at the moment. An arm supported him around his chest, and the other hand rubbed circles on his belly.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Jen?”

Jensen couldn’t bring himself to speak. He just shook his head.

“I should have noticed the way you’ve started wearing sweats and giant t-shirts around the house and avoiding me at work. How are you hiding it from everyone? Or does everyone at AE know but me?”

“I just wear a jacket all the time. Stay behind my desk.” He couldn’t say more. He felt exhausted, humiliated. His body felt alien. He hated it. It made him feel sick, but Jared’s attention – his mouth and arms and hands – eased the distress.

“You didn’t mean for this to happen, did you?”

Jensen shook his head. “No, I … no.”

Jared’s hand stroked through his hair then, and the knot loosened enough to slide free. Semen trickled down over his balls and thighs. He shuddered. Jared helped him to his feet and down the hall to the master bathroom.  He cleaned them up and drew Jensen into the bedroom.

“Come here.” He pulled Jensen onto the bed with him and held him. “How did you let this happen?”

Jensen didn’t want to answer. He just wanted to lie there in Jared’s arms. He sighed. “Things were just so busy, I forgot to go to the doctor about the birth control implant. I didn’t even notice my heat coming on … it was too late then.”

Jared’s lips were pressed to Jensen’s ear when he asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jensen burrowed his face between Jared’s cheek and the pillow. “I didn’t want this. I still don’t know that I do. I’m sorry, I … just, I don’t know.”

He felt Jared take a deep breath. “You could have ended it.”

Jensen’s stomach clenched. “No,” he said and pulled away. “I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t be like …” He bit back the words but could tell from the look on Jared’s face that it was too late.

“Like what, Jen? Like who?” His eyes narrowed.

Jensen shook his head and looked away. “Like that. I couldn’t when I knew how much you’d want it.”

“That’s not what you were going to say.” Jared grabbed his chin and made him look at him. “You lied to me, didn’t you? She was pregnant.” His hand dropped from Jensen’s face, and he fell back on the mattress. “You should have told me. I had a right to know.”

“I know you’re probably right,” Jensen said. He could see the anger flash in Jared’s eyes.

“You paid your P.I. to lie to me,” Jared said.

“You were still recovering from the accident and trying to find your place at AE … It wouldn’t have made a difference. It was too late. She’d already hurt you so much …”

“And you didn’t want to be like her?” Jared asked. “You could have finally hurt me as much as I hurt you.”

Jensen leaned back against the headboard and pulled the sheet up over the swell of his stomach. “I can’t. I don’t even think I want to anymore. I don’t know who I am or what I want.”

Jared sat up and faced him. Jensen couldn’t bear the weight of concern in Jared’s eyes. “You’re my mate, Jen, and I should be taking care of you.”

“Jared …”

“No, Jen, I should have seen weeks ago that there was something more going on with you. I fucked up.”

“I pushed you away.”

“I shouldn’t have allowed it. I thought I was giving you your space and keeping the peace, but I was being a coward and avoiding my responsibilities. That’s not going to happen anymore. We’re in this together.” He leaned forward and kissed Jensen softly on the mouth.

“I don’t think I hate you anymore,” Jensen whispered.

The ghost of a smile played at Jared’s mouth. “I know this isn’t how either of us would have planned our lives, but we’re going to have a family, Jen. I’m going to take care of you and our child. You’re strong. You can do this. We’ll just have to figure it out as we go along.”

Jensen nodded and let Jared hold him. It was comforting, and he quit fighting, let himself drift.

~~~

Dana’s eyes and mouth were cartoonishly round when she opened the door and saw Jared standing in the hall. He didn’t bother waiting for an invitation. He just walked past her into the luxury hotel room she was still living in after all these months. The divorce proceedings had continued to drag out as the lawyers haggled back and forth over every detail. He had been too involved in AE and dealing with the PADA lawsuit and now with Jensen’s pregnancy to get too upset about it.

He turned and handed her the real P.I. report he’d finally gotten out of Jensen.

“How could you?” he asked. She looked confused for a moment, so he continued. “It wasn’t even the first time. Two other times you went to New York on ‘buying trips’ and had an abortion. Why?”

She shrugged. “Birth control isn’t foolproof, and I wasn’t ready.”

“Ready? You killed …”

“Don’t say it, Jared. They weren’t babies; they weren’t even six weeks yet.”

“Okay, no, not babies, they were our dreams.”

“You can always have more dreams,” she said.

“Who are you?! Why the hell were you ever with me?” he shouted.

“I loved you! So maybe we didn’t see eye to eye on everything, but I loved you,” she shouted right back. That red blotchiness was climbing up her throat like a thermometer that measured her anger. “I put up with your long hours, and your philandering – like I didn’t know about how Chad relieved your stress – and your obsession with beating Jensen Ackles. You destroyed our marriage. You just had to take him down. Well, congratulations! I hope you’re happy!”

“Yeah, I am,” he said. His lip curled. “He’s going to give me the family you wouldn’t, and he still kicks corporate ass.”

The shock was written on her face. “You’re lying,” she said. “He’d never let that happen.”

“But he has,” Jared said. “He’s three months along.”

Her expression went almost blank, but there was something there. He wasn’t sure if it was pain or anger.

“You know, you could have used the pregnancy to try to get me back,” he said.

“Would it have worked?”

He scoffed. “We’ll never know.” He pointed at the P.I. folder in her hand. “I suggest you find more affordable accommodations, because believe me, your attorney will be getting revised divorce papers. You’ll be getting nothing from me.” He started for the door.

“Jared,” she said. “Good luck with your little family.”

“What?”

“You’re going to need it because Jensen Ackles will never be your obedient, little bitch.”

~~~

Jensen had quit going into the office over the passing weeks and worked from home as he had when he was in heat … when he worked. But the fact was as his stomach grew and breasts developed, he was having more and more trouble concentrating on his work. He felt as though his body had been hijacked. He spent a lot of time sleeping and drifting – just lying in bed with the pillow over his eyes.

He imagined what his life would have been like if his father hadn’t taken Jake from him. They’d have children in school by now. He could see a couple of boys and a girl – blond and fair. They’d have a house with a backyard pool, and they’d swim with the kids in the evening for a while and then have beers in lounge chairs while the kids splashed and laughed. On the weekends, they’d take them to the park and play baseball, and the girl, the middle child, would throw a mean curve ball that he taught her just to best her brothers.

Instead, there he lay, transforming, belly swelling obscenely with the child of the man who destroyed his life, stole it from him, and yet, it was only the touch of that man that made him feel alive now. He hated himself for it. He wondered sometimes if he had Stockholm Syndrome or something. Then, he’d remind himself that it was his mate, that there was some sick biological need in him to want Jared, to be succored and aroused and possessed by him.

He wondered if he was a cruel alpha in another life and this was his punishment – to be at the top, one of the most successful, prominent alphas and to be made the omega, to learn what it is to be a slave to biology, to his rival, a knot slut. That’s what the other alphas in college called them. He remembered how hard it was in high school not to tie some pretty, needy omega. His father was always warning him not to fall into some omega hole; how they were just trying to trick him into mating them so they could get his family’s money. That’s what his father thought Jake was – just a knot slut, an omega hole.

How ironic that he’d turned out to be that for Jared. He knew Jared had no intention of mating him that night. He’d just been trying to ruin Jensen. He should have turned Jared into an omega back in high school, but the kid just hadn’t seemed like much of a threat back then. He was tall and lanky with shaggy hair and sweet, puppy dog eyes. He probably could have bent him over and turned him. In fact, he figured someone else would. He’d never dreamed that Jared would turn out to be a formidable rival. And now here he lay with the weight of that man’s child in his gut. He wanted to hate it, to hate Jared, but he couldn’t, this was right, but Jensen was still somehow an alpha, and it was wrong, abhorrent to him. He wondered if the fragmented pieces of himself could ever be reconciled.

He felt the mattress dip under the weight of Jared’s body, but he didn’t move. The pillow was lifted off his eyes and light filtered in.

“I know you aren’t asleep,” Jared said. A kiss was pressed to Jensen’s forehead. “Come on. There’s something I want you to see.”

“Later,” Jensen said.

“No, you’ve laid around all day,” Jared said. He pulled Jensen to his feet and down the hallway to the front entrance.

“I’m not dressed to go out,” Jensen said as he balked at the door. He was wearing an old pair of heather gray sweats, a torn Cowboys jersey. He was barefoot.

“We aren’t going far.” Jared led him to the elevator and pressed the button for the penthouse. The car moved up a floor and the door opened into a vestibule not all that different from his own. He went to the door and pressed Jensen’s thumb to a touchpad next to it. He could hear the latch release, pushed the door open and stepped into what looked like a ranch-style house in the sky.

“I thought we’d be needing more room,” Jared said.

Pale oak floors stretched out before him. Everything was done in shades of sand and beige with emerald and aqua and sapphire accents. It was an open floor plan with contemporary furnishings and hints of vintage 1950s and 1960s elements like large beanbag chairs to play video games from and a curvy chrome and aqua Formica kitchen set that kept the place from looking stuffy or designer. Jensen felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

“Do you like it?” Jared asked.

There were long windows across the living room wall, but in the dining room and kitchen sliding doors opened onto a patio with a swimming pool and patches of grass with small trees. Lounge chairs and round tables with umbrellas lined the edge of the pool. Jensen didn’t answer. He went to the door and stepped out onto the patio. He turned his face up to the sky. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt the sun on his face. He stood there with his eyes shut, the light turning his vision red behind his closed lids. He felt Jared’s hands on his arms.

“Yes, I do,” he said.

“Come back in. There’s more,” Jared said.

He led him back down a hallway and into the master bedroom. It was painted slate gray, but with the same jewel toned accents as the living area. It was dominated by a huge bed piled with pillows and a fluffy comforter. Across from it was a flat screen TV surrounded by built-in shelves full of books and a stereo system.

“Here, check out the bathroom,” Jared said.

It was mostly white with a wave pattern in watery tones along the walls and floor. There was a huge Jacuzzi tub and a steam shower. One wall was glass block so sunlight poured into the room and a door let out onto the patio not far from the pool. Jensen just shook his head in disbelief.

“So this is what all that noise I’ve been complaining about the past two weeks has been.”

Jared grinned. “Yeah, can you forgive me?”

Jensen smiled. “I guess, yeah.”

“This isn’t all,” he said as he went back into the bedroom. “There are two guest rooms, and …” He opened a door near the dresser.

Cartoon puppies tumbled across yellow walls and green and yellow striped drapes hung at a long window that let in plenty of light. A walnut crib sat near the doorway, and a matching changing table set against the far wall. A large, chair covered in mint green upholstery sat in the corner.

“It rocks too,” Jared said of the chair.

Jensen just nodded. He felt the weight of his belly pulling him down. Was this his life now? A nursery? He backed out of the room. Jared pulled the door shut and wrapped his arms around him.

“Hey, it’s okay, if you aren’t ready,” he said.

Jensen shook his head and stepped away. “It isn’t that. It’s …” He gestured at the nursery door. “Is that supposed to be my life from now on? I can’t do that, be just that.”

Jared’s mouth dropped open. “No, I mean, Jen, we’re going to be dads, both of us. That chair in there is big enough for me, and I expect you’ll work from home for awhile. Come here.” He took Jensen’s hand and led him across the hall to an office with wifi and fax and speaker phones and two desks facing each other each with flat screen monitors.

“We can both work here if we need to,” Jared said. “Jen, I want to be a big part of our child’s life. I don’t want to just disappear in the morning and leave you here to be the primary parent. I don’t expect that of you, and I would feel cheated. So, we can take turns or both stay home or take him or her to the office with us, but we’ll work something out, okay?”

Jensen’s throat was tight and his eyes stung. “Okay.” He lifted his face, and Jared kissed him. It was soft and deep, and when the kiss broke, Jensen said, “Do you want …”

“You? Yes.”

Jensen turned and walked into the new bedroom with Jared on his heels. He slid out of his sweat pants and threw the fluffy comforter aside. He’d barely crawled onto the bed when he felt Jared’s bare flesh against him, and his cock, thick and reassuring, pushed into his body. His channel was so tight with the added weight of the baby inside him, and his back bowed. He dropped onto his elbows. As Jared thrust into him, his cock slapped against the curve of his belly. The smooth sheets rubbing against his nipples felt like sandpaper. He felt as though he were in someone else’s body. This wasn’t him.

But Jared’s hands on his hips were familiar like heated brands on his skin, and his cock was possessive and comforting. Maybe it was how tight he was or maybe it was how long it had been, but Jared’s knot quickly began to form. The pressure from surrounding tissue made it almost uncomfortable, but it pressed firmly against his prostate, and barely a touch of Jared’s hand had him coming with a gasp.

Jared pulled them onto their sides as his seed poured into Jensen’s body. He could almost imagine the baby swimming in a pool of his daddy’s cum. He knew that was ridiculous and twisted, but he didn’t know where it could all be going.

Jared kissed his neck and ran his hand over Jensen’s belly. He kept it away from Jensen’s breasts knowing that it still felt wrong to him.

“I remember the first time I saw you,” Jared said. “Or maybe it was just the first time you saw me. You were standing in the hallway outside the cafeteria talking to Chris. I have no idea what you were talking about, but it was something serious. And I don’t know why, but you glanced over at me, and you smiled. I couldn’t get it out of my mind – that smile and how beautiful you were. I found out everything I could about you – that you were a quarterback, on yearbook staff, and on the A honor roll. I tried out for football.” Jared rubbed his cheek against the soft brush of Jensen’s hair.

“And?”

“I made that touchdown against Proctorville when the clock was running out.”

Jensen thought for a moment. “Yeah, so?”

“You made a joke of it.”

“I did?” Jensen didn’t remember. They’d won the game but didn’t need the touchdown. He felt the chuff of breath on his neck when Jared scoffed.

“You don’t even remember.”

“What did I say?”

“It doesn’t matter, Jen. It never should have, but God I had such a crush on you.”

“I didn’t know.”

“No, I know you didn’t.”

~~~

“Jared,” Jensen called from the kitchen.

“Yeah?” Jared answered, but the sound of shooting continued on the Playstation.

“Jared!”

The sound stopped and Jared got to his feet. He peered at Jensen from the living room, through the dining room and into the kitchen.

“We’re out of grapefruit.”

“But Martha just bought grapefruit. Are you sure ...” He walked into the kitchen and looked in the refrigerator. “We are out of grapefruit. So ... Jen, you need to eat more than grapefruit.”

“It tastes good.” Jensen said. He eased his ass onto a bar stool at the island. His feet ached all the time. It was contest between his feet and his back.

“The doctor said you haven’t gained enough weight,” Jared said.

“I’m as big as an elephant,” Jensen said.

“Your face is thin. You can’t afford to lose weight. You need to eat real food with calories and nutrition.”

Jensen felt a flare of anger. “I’m not trying to watch my calories. I just ... there’s no room for food in there. I’m not really hungry. Grapefruit tastes good,” he said stubbornly.

“Okay.” Jared went to the refrigerator and came back with a carton of yogurt and half a turkey sandwich in plastic wrap. “Eat those and I’ll go buy more grapefruit.”

Jensen’s lips twitched almost into a smile. “Is this how you’re going to handle it if we have a picky eater?”

Jared smiled. “I don’t know. Will it work?”

~~~

“Elizabeth.” Jared said into the dark.

“Lizzie? Beth?”

“Ellie?”

“That’s not bad.” Jensen rolled over onto his back but still wasn’t comfortable. There was no comfortable, he’d concluded. “How about Lily?”

“That’s pretty. She’ll have eyes like yours,” Jared said.

“We don’t know if it’s a girl yet.”

“Do you wish we hadn’t waited to find out?”

“No,” Jensen said. “I want it to be a surprise. You?”

“Me too. It’s more fun.” Jared’s hand lay on Jensen’s belly feeling the movements of the baby. “Jennifer?”

“Fuck you.”

“Hey, language. You need to clean up that mouth.”

“Whatever,” Jensen said. “How about Jari for a girl?”

“Funny.”

Jensen grinned. “Okay, boys’ names ... John.”

“Simple, traditional. Maybe.”

“Matthew.”

“You had that boyfriend named Matt, didn’t you?”

“Let it go, Jay. I’m having your kid.”

Jared moved closer. “Yeah, you are.” Jensen heard him sigh.

“Jacob.”

“Hmm, but maybe we should stay away from J-names.”

Jensen chuckled. “Yeah, probably right.”

“Michael.”

“Not bad.” Jensen felt overheated but hated to tell Jared to move away. “David.”

“Hmm.”

“Are you falling asleep?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Okay, g’night.”

~~~

“What the fuck is that?”

“What?” Jared had just walked into the apartment and already felt blindsided.

“That smell. What the fuck is that smell?” Jensen was sitting on the couch fanning himself with a magazine even though the air conditioning felt like it was set on arctic.

“I ...”

“Where the hell have you been?”

“I stopped to have a beer ...”

“You smell like a bar. Go take a fucking shower. It’s making me sick.”

Jared took a deep breath and headed down the hall.

“And put your clothes in a fucking trash bag,” Jensen yelled after him.

~~~

“Jared.” He shook his mate’s shoulder but got only a groan in response. “Jared.” Jensen poked him in the ribs.

“Wha?”

Jensen could see him roll over in the ambient light from the windows.

“Talk to him.”

“What? You okay?”

“No, I can’t sleep. He won’t quit jabbing me with is elbows and kicking my bladder. Talk to him and make him quiet down.”

“He might be a girl.”

“Jared.”

“Okay.” He squirmed around until his head was level with Jensen’s distended belly. He placed a hand on it. The baby seemed to sense it and kicked at Jared’s palm. “Hey, baby, you need to settle down, okay? You’re keeping Jen awake. He needs to get his rest so he can take care of you, you know.” There was a milder jab then. “Yeah, I know, you don’t know it’s the middle of the night, do you?” Jared’s cheek was pressed against the mound of Jensen’s stomach. “But you gotta give Jen a break or he’ll keep me up all night too.”

“Asshole.”

“See how cranky you’re making him.”

“Jared.” The baby was still moving but with less vigor, less often. It always responded to Jared’s voice.

“Come on, baby. You’re getting me in trouble here,” Jared said. “I’ll tell you a secret, baby. I love your daddy more than anything. He’s giving me the most awesome gift in the world. He’s a better man than I’ve ever been or deserve.”

Jensen sank his fingers into Jared’s hair. “Jared ...” He bit his lip at a loss for words.

Jared pressed his lips to the taut skin of Jensen’s belly. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life making everything up to him. I swear it.”

~~~

Jared stood in the doorway and watched as the omega midwife sat down on the edge of the bed and began to talk to Jensen. He didn’t so much as turn his head or speak. Light filtered in through the blinds, and Jensen was just a mound under the sheets. He hardly moved from the bed for days. The baby was low in his abdomen, and he said that sitting or walking was too uncomfortable, but then he said everything was uncomfortable. Jared didn’t doubt him. He wondered how tiny little women managed to do this.

The midwife continued talking to Jensen who had at least opened his eyes. The midwife put his hand on Jensen’s shoulder. He lay on his side curled around his huge belly, their child. Jared bit his lip. It was probably the only child they’d ever have. He could never put Jensen through this again. Jensen had tried his damnedest to stay positive, to keep working and functioning, but the past few months had been a slow slide into depression for him.

He had moments when he seemed almost himself, but it never lasted. He’d gotten to where he couldn’t work even from home. He was too disheartened to concentrate. He’d just lie in bed and drift away in his mind.

Now he was almost to the end. His water had broken and contractions started, the midwife was here, and hopefully, in a few hours they’d have a healthy child. But Jared wouldn’t breathe a sigh of relief. There were too many ‘what ifs’ – What if having the baby didn’t snap Jensen out of this funk? What if the two of them just couldn’t work out a life together? What if Jensen never really forgave him?

But life was full of ‘what ifs’ he supposed. What if he hadn’t committed that singular act of cruelty toward Jensen? He wondered if he’d still be with Dana. He imagined they’d still be childless, and he would be stupidly clueless as to why. He’d thought they were on the same page. They had been the Golden Couple of Dallas. Their life together had been perfectly planned, but Rabbie Burns was sure as hell right about the best laid plans going awry.

And now everything was so uncertain. It was going to be a challenge, but Jared was always up for a challenge. A small smile touched his lips as he saw Jensen roll onto his back and rub his face. If there was one thing he knew about Jensen, he liked a challenge as well. He was no quitter.

Jensen’s hand was lying on the mound of his belly as he spoke to the midwife. Yeah, Jared thought, Jensen had a lot more invested in this than he did. Jensen winced in pain as another contraction hit, and Jared moved forward to sit on the bed beside him.

 

  



	9. Epilogue

**_[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/sylsdarkplace/pic/00019d4k/) _ **

  


**_Epilogue_ **

Jensen heard a squeal that made his stomach clench a little even though he knew there wasn’t a bit of danger.

“Daddy,” the little voice screamed.

Jensen lifted his sun glasses off the top of his head and placed them on his nose before opening his eyes. Jared was standing in the pool holding six-year-old Ellie over his head. Her squeal made Jensen cringe, but Jared just laughed as he pretended to throw her into the deep end. Not that it would matter much, both kids swam like fishes.

Jared tossed Ellie a few feet away. She went under with a splash and came up laughing. The whole time three-year-old Alec was standing on the pool steps in his saggy shorts saying, “Papa, Papa, Papa.”

Jared turned and swept him up in his arms. Alec laughed gleefully when Jared blew a raspberry on his bare belly. Jensen couldn’t help but laugh too.

“Daddy, look,” Ellie called from the side of the pool. “Daddy …”

“I’m looking, baby,” Jensen said, and Ellie executed a perfect dive into the pool. He sat up and watched her swim underwater to the shallow end. She popped up looking for him.

“Was that good?”

“That was awesome, darlin’” he said. He stood and picked up a towel. “Come on out now. You two need to get rinsed off and have your supper.”

She was already back on the edge of the pool getting ready for another dive. “But Daddy,” she dragged out the ‘e’ sound. Jensen just raised an eyebrow, and she stomped her foot before marching over to the outdoor shower and pulling the chain. Water poured down over her. She squealed at the cool water temperature and did a little chilly dance.

Jared walked up to him holding a wet squirming Alec in his arms. The boy looked so pale against Jared’s tanned chest, and he was holding his arms out to Jensen.

“Daaaddy,” Alec cried. His bottom lip was sticking out.

Jared smiled. “Why are you crying to him? He’s the one who said you had to get out.”

But that’s how Alec was when he was tired or sad or hurt, he wanted Daddy. Ellie was just the opposite. She wanted Papa when she needed comfort. It all balanced out. Jensen reached out and took the boy from Jared’s arms. Alec wrapped around Jensen like a little spider monkey, laid his head on Daddy’s shoulder and popped his thumb in his mouth, which he had pretty much outgrown. Jensen rubbed his back.

“You’re awful tired, aren’t you, little man?” he said. He went over to the shower where Ellie had her face turned up into the spray. “Okay, El, that’s enough. Go let Papa help you dry off.”

“I don’t need help,” she protested. Jensen sighed. She was the most independent little cuss he’d ever seen. Much as he loved her there were days she just wore him out.

Jared grinned at Jensen. “Okay, baby, here’s a towel,” Jared said to Ellie. “Come dry yourself off. Martha left chicken enchiladas for your dinner.”

Jensen stepped into the bamboo shower cubicle and pulled the chain. He flinched at the first spray of cool water, but Alec hardly responded. The poor kid really was worn out. Jensen stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around Alec and sat him on the lounge chair so he could dry himself off.

“I’m gonna take Ellie in,” Jared said.

“Yeah, okay,” Jensen said. Their eyes met for a moment before Jared followed the little towhead into the house. Jared had been right, Jensen thought. She had his green eyes fringed in long lashes, but she had Jared’s outgoing personality and positive attitude.

He tossed the towel over the back of chair and picked up Alec’s now boneless form. He kissed his forehead. “You hungry, baby?” The toddler nodded but kept sucking his thumb. Alec was more like him – shy and serious. He carried the child into the kitchen and placed him on a bar stool next to his sister who was alternately stuffing enchilada in her mouth and expounding on the virtues of ponies.

Jensen slid onto a stool next to Alec and Jared put a plate in front of the boy. Jensen cut off a bite of enchilada and put it into his mouth to make sure it wasn’t too hot for the little one. Alec looked up big eyed and open-mouthed like a baby bird. Jensen could see the boy was on the tipping point of tears.

“Just wanted to make sure it wasn’t too hot,” Jensen said. He cut off another small bite and fed it to Alec. The boy usually fed himself, but he could barely hold his head up so Jensen kept feeding him until it was taking him long minutes to chew and swallow one bite. Ellie had moved on to the subject of glitter pens and half of her food still sat cooling on her plate.

“El, El, Ellie,” Jared said trying to get her attention. “Are you going to eat that? Because I’m about to take it away from you.”

“Oh, yeah, no, I think I’m full, Papa,” she said.

Jared shook his head. “Okay, go get your pajamas and stuff for your bath.” The little girl jumped down and ran for her room.

“You done there, Jen?”

“Yeah, he’s beat,” Jensen said and pulled Alec onto his lap.

Jared smiled fondly as he gathered up the kid’s plates. He scraped the remainders into the trash and put the plates and cutlery into the sink. When he turned to get their glasses from the counter, he stopped dead at the picture of Jensen curved protectively around Alec’s small form. Every bit of his attention was on the boy who leaned against his chest. Jensen pressed his lips to the top of Alec’s blond head. Jared’s heart thudded in his chest, and he felt as though a fist was squeezing the air from his lungs. He was just about to say something sappy and stupid when a ballerina in nothing but pink panties and a tiara pirouetted into the kitchen waving a wand with pink and purple streamers.

“Whoa, Tinker Bell, where’s your tutu?” Jensen said.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Tinker Bell doesn’t wear a tutu, Daddy.”

“Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure she wears something,” Jensen said. Jared could see the strain in Jensen’s face not to laugh, and Ellie could too if she were paying attention.

“Tomorrow is Saturday,” she pronounced. “Are we going to the park?”

“Why would we go to the park?” Jared asked and gave Jensen a wink.

She ignored Jared’s question and said to Jensen, “You said you’d teach me to pitch.”

Jensen grinned then, eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made Jared’s heart ache. “Yeah, we can go to the park tomorrow.”

“Maybe we can have a picnic,” Jared said, Ellie squealed and Jensen cringed. “Now let’s go get your bath.” Ellie ran back down the hallway.

“We have to break her of that squealing,” Jensen said.

“Little girls squeal,” Jared said. “She’ll grow out of it.”

“My hearing may not survive.”

Jared laughed. “I’ll go start the bath.”

Ellie was already in the tub when Jensen got to the bathroom with Alec who revived momentarily for his bath. Jared got Ellie out of the tub, dried and powdered and into her pajamas while Jensen finished up with Alec. She slowly wound down as they read a book together, and soon her eyes were drooping. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and turned out the light.

He took a quick shower and put on a pair of lounge pants. He expected Jensen to be in the living room with a beer and a plate of enchiladas, but found him in the big green chair in the nursery holding Alec.

“Hey,” Jared said as he leaned in the doorway.

“Hey,” Jensen said in reply. Jared took Alec from his arms and put him in the crib. He was almost too big for it.

“We’re going to have to get him a real bed soon,” Jared said.

“Yeah,” Jensen said quietly. There was a little sadness. This was their baby, the last one they’d have. Jared had gotten a vasectomy not long after Alec was born. Jensen hated being pregnant both times. It had been bad enough the first time, but with Ellie being little the second time, it was horrible. She wanted Daddy’s attention, and Jensen just wasn’t there for her. It had ended up being stressful and sad for all of them. Jared hadn’t even been enthusiastic about the second pregnancy in the first place, but Jensen had insisted on at least two. Jared was thankful he had, but he couldn’t watch Jensen go through it again. And he wouldn’t let the kids see it.

“I’m going to go take a shower,” Jensen said.

“Yeah, okay,” Jared said still leaning over the crib. Jared marveled at just how much Alec was like Jensen. He ran a finger across a petal soft cheek. There was a time in his life when he’d wanted three or four boys to ensure that at least one would be a strong alpha. Living with Jensen had changed that. Alpha or omega, he knew his son would be strong.

Jared was still sometimes surprised at how tough, even ruthless, Jensen could be in business, and in bed, he could be as aggressive as any alpha. Although Jared had never let Jensen fuck him, his mate had learned to top from the bottom real well on occasion.

Jared heard a sound and turned. Their nanny, Cara, was standing there with a little smile on her face.

“You have the kids down already, Mr. P?” she said in her lovely Italian lilt.

“Yeah,” he said. “Thought you’d be out with your friends until late.”

She shrugged. “Didn’t feel like dancing all night,” she said. She was a sturdy girl, a little plain, but with glossy dark hair and a dazzling smile. Jared thought of a time when he’d have gladly fucked her, but not anymore. It wasn’t that he didn’t still have those alpha urges, but he fought them – sometimes tooth and nail – because he had more important things in his life. One thing he’d never do is take Jensen for granted. Besides, Jensen just might be able to kick his ass.

“We’re going on a picnic tomorrow,” he said.

“You better be,” Cara smiled. “Little missy has been talking all week about her daddy teaching her to pitch so she can show up the boys when she starts little league.”

Jared grinned. “Well, you’re welcome to join us,” he said.

“That sounds like fun, but if you don’t need me, I think I’ll sleep in and then go shopping.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” he said.

“Okay, good night, Mr. P.”

“Good night, Cara.” He followed her out. She went into the bedroom next to Ellie’s, and he went into the master suite where Jensen stood naked from his shower. He had a pair of boxers in his hand.

“You don’t have to put those on,” Jared said.

Jensen looked up with a glint in his eye. “And you don’t need to have those on.” He untied the drawstring on Jared’s pants and slid them off his hips. Jared ran his hands up Jensen’s arms, kissed his soft, luscious lips.

“God, love you so much, Jen,” he whispered. “Do anything for you.”

“Yeah?” Jensen smirked. “Prove it.” There was a catch and rub of skin on skin as the hard lengths of their cocks moved against one another. Jensen put his hand on Jared’s hip and pulled them together and rocked against him as precum began to slick the way.

Jared kissed him again, deeper this time, urgently. “Yeah, okay.” He pulled Jensen down onto the bed on top of him. He bucked up against him trying to make contact. “Fuck me, Jen.”

“What?”

“Come on. Fuck me. There’s still a little alpha in there itching to get out, isn’t there?” Jared said. He felt a little uncertain about this but tried not to let it show. There was something sort of hot about the idea, and he thought Jensen would get off on it. But an omega topping an alpha was still taboo. It was a kink that wasn’t talked about except on fringe internet blogs.

Jensen’s eyes were dark with lust. “Aren’t you afraid that if it gets out I won’t be able to put it back?”

“Don’t worry, baby, I’ll still knot you when you’re in heat.” Jared’s hips continued to rock. Jensen had lowered himself enough for their slick cocks to rub together.

“We don’t have any lube,” Jensen said.

“Who needs lube when we have your pretty, wet hole?” Jared slid his fingers up Jensen’s soppy crack and got his fingers nice and wet before spreading his legs and pushing a finger into himself. It was tight and the intrusion burned. He wondered how the hell he thought Jensen could get his cock in there, but he didn’t hesitate to fuck his finger in and out. Jensen was staring intently at where Jared’s finger disappeared into his body. He licked his lips.

“Stop,” he said. He reached behind himself and probed his own hole before pressing two fingers against Jared’s puckered opening and slowly pushing in.

Holy fuck, this was different, Jared thought. He knew what Jensen was feeling – the soft, slick heat, the grasping, twitching muscles – but this feeling of vulnerability and invasion, the trust and pleasure was something entirely different. Jared dropped his head back onto the mattress and his eyelids fluttered shut. Jensen’s fingers continued to move, twist, scissor him open. Jared’s muscles began to relax and occasionally Jensen’s fingertips would rub over his prostate. Precum oozed from the slit of his dick. It dripped onto his belly.

“Doin’ okay?” Jensen asked. His voice sounded raw, and Jared knew what he was feeling. He understood too well the urgency to fuck into another body.

“Yeah, more,” Jared said.

Jensen pushed another finger in. The stretch and burn was briefer this time, and Jared was surprised by his own desire to feel Jensen’s cock inside him. He’d thought he was just doing this for Jensen and was a little disturbed by how much he wanted it too. Looking up at Jensen, he said, “Fuck me, Jen.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah.”

Jensen pushed Jared’s long legs up over his shoulders. He reached back and slid his hand up his crack, slicked his cock with his own juices before lining up the blunt head with Jared’s hole and pushing inside. Jared’s muscles tightened reflexively at the intrusion. It hurt, and he felt momentary panic as the alpha in him pushed to the forefront. He knew that Jensen couldn’t turn him into an omega. His body no longer produced sperm or formed a knot even, but Jared’s body didn’t know that.

Jensen must have seen something in his face because he paused. “Jay?”

Jared made himself relax back onto the mattress. “I’m good. Go ahead.”

Jensen didn’t have to be told twice. His eyes fell shut as he slowly pushed in until his hips were flush with Jared’s ass.

“Fuck,” he breathed.

“Yeah,” Jared said.

Jensen opened his eyes, and they were so dark, heavy lidded. The look was so hungry, almost predatory, that Jared squirmed.

“Come on, Jen, do it.”

Jensen smiled and withdrew to the head before plunging back in and starting a rhythm of short, fast thrusts. Jared liked the feeling of fullness, the closeness to Jensen, pleasing his mate, and then something happened. There was more than the fullness; there was a relaxation as though his body had finally accepted his position, and then the head of Jensen’s cock rubbed over his prostate. His balls felt heavy and tight. A moan escaped his lips before he could stop it. Jensen wrapped his hand around Jared’s cock and stroked it in time to his thrusts. The feeling built and as his knot formed, Jensen squeezed it and stroked. Jared bit is lips and fisted the sheets as his balls drew up. Suddenly, he was bathed in his own cum, and he was writhing on the bed.

Jensen slammed into him and groaned, and Jared realized that he was being filled with his mate’s release. It had been more than six years since Jensen had fucked anyone, and Jared realized he hadn’t really thought of it before – the part of himself that Jensen gave up. Jared thought again of what a selfish asshole he could be. Well, he was working on it.

He took Jensen’s wrist and stilled his movements. “You can stop. I’m good.”

“Yeah?” Jensen asked with a smile.

“Yeah,” Jared said. Without pressure or movement on the knot, it would shrink.

Jensen looked down at Jared’s cum covered stomach and smirked. “You look kind of hot that way.”

“You look surprisingly hot like that,” Jared said. “But my legs are getting stiff.”

Jensen let his softening cock slide from Jared’s hole and eased his legs down. Jared felt strangely empty.

“Come on. Let’s get cleaned up,” Jensen stood and offered Jared his hand to pull him to his feet.

“Okay, but only if we can make out in the shower,” Jared said.

Jensen raised an eyebrow as they entered the bathroom. “You know we already took a risk of getting interrupted while we were having sex. If one of them needs us when we’re both ...”

Jared pressed a finger against Jensen’s lips. “Cara came home while you were in the shower before.”

Jensen grinned. “She did?”

Jared smiled and nodded. Jensen pulled him into the glass enclosure, hit the control pad preset for after-sex shower, and wrapped his arms around him. For the first couple seconds, they did nothing but smear cum all over each other and explore mouths. Then, Jensen leaned back against the wall with a lazy smile.

“Thank you,” he said.

“I should thank you,” Jared said. “I mean, you’ve fucked guys before, but I’ve never, you know ...”

“I know. I just took your virginity.”

Jared felt a weird little twist in his gut that wasn’t all together unpleasant, and he thought he might be blushing. “Yeah, I guess, you did.” He pressed his lips lightly to Jensen’s. “I’m glad it was you.”

“So I guess we’re even,” Jensen said.

“No, we’re not,” Jared frowned. “We’re not even close. We never will be.”

“Hey,” Jensen stopped him. “Stop, okay? I’m sorry I mentioned it. I’m not keeping score, and you need to quit. That’s in the past. You and me – we’re formidable business partners, and decent dads with great kids, and in bed ... we’re pretty hot. You need to let the guilt go.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

Jensen shrugged and nodded. “Yeah, I know, but you got me.”

“That’s just it ...”

“Shut up,” Jensen said and kissed him.

“Jen.”

“I thought you wanted to make out with me.” Jensen’s hands were sliding over his wet skin, and he licked a stripe up the side of Jared’s neck.

“Yeah, yeah, I do.” He loved the way Jensen looked wet – the way water beaded on his freckled skin and hung on his long lashes. “I totally do.”

“Then shut the fuck up and kiss me.”

“Jesus, your filthy mouth.”

“You like my filthy mouth?”

“Mmm,” was all he could manage as he pressed a kiss to Jensen’s lips. His mate’s hand cupped the back of his head and drew him in, held him in place as the kiss deepened, lingered. When the kiss broke, Jared gazed down at the beautiful man in his arms. He wanted to remember him that way always.

“What you gave me in there, I thought I’d never have again,” Jensen said. “I do love you, you know.”

Jared couldn’t think of words to express what he was feeling. Jensen rarely said it, and the knowledge of it was almost painful. He felt tears well in his eyes. He pulled Jensen into his arms.

“Oh God, Jen, I love you too.”

“I know, you say it all the time,” Jensen said.

Jared pulled back and looked at him quizzically. “What do you mean? I don’t.”

“But you do – with the things you do for me, the respect you show me – I know you love me. You have for a long time. I just have a hard time saying it to you.”

“You don’t know what it means to me. I never thought ... I couldn’t ever have imagined that we’d end up here; that you could forgive me even.”

“I had to let go of the anger and resentment; that’s why I want you to let go of the guilt. Okay?”

“Yeah, I think maybe I can,” Jared said.

“Good.” Jensen turned off the water and grabbed a towel, which he began to rub down with. “We better get to bed. The little pink tyrant wants me to teach her to pitch tomorrow.” He stepped from the shower and tossed Jared a towel.

“You love it,” Jared said as he rubbed a towel over his hair.

“I do ... but that squeal.”

Jared laughed. “She’ll grow out of it, Jen.”

“No, it has to stop – especially in public,” Jensen said over his shoulder as he headed into the bedroom. “People are going to start suing us for hearing damage.”

Jared couldn’t help grinning as he followed his naked mate. “That’s our daughter you’re talking about.”

Jensen laid down and rolled onto his back with a sigh. “Yeah, we’re a family, Jay.”

“Yeah, we are.” He crawled onto the bed and stretched out beside Jensen. He felt tired and content, but there was one thing nagging at him. He heard Jensen’s stomach growl and started laughing. “I was just thinking of that. We haven’t eaten.”

“How does that keep happening?” Jensen groaned.

“Kids.”

“We have a housekeeper and a nanny. How do other parents do it?”

“Maybe we need to eat with them like the Huxtables,” Jared said.

“Yeah, that would work. I did get that one bite of Alec’s enchilada.”

“There’s more in the fridge,” Jared said. “Cold enchiladas and beer …”

Jensen was already on his feet pulling sweat pants on and grinning like a 12-year-old. At 38, he was still the most beautiful guy Jared had ever seen, and Jensen was his. The possessiveness and want hit him low in the gut, and Jared wanted to bend him over right then and knot him. His cock was hard again, and he started to rise slowly from the bed with his eyes fixed on Jensen.

“Huh-uh,” Jensen said and shook his head. “I’m getting food and beer first.”

Jared grinned and lunged forward, but Jensen slipped into the hallway laughing.

**_-30-_ **

  



End file.
